Former railway minister Mukul Roy nicknamed 'Chanakya of Bengal politics’ passes away

KOLKATA: Mukul Roy (71), former union minister and one of the founding members of Trinamool Congress passed away. He died at the Salt Lake Hospital in Kolkata due to old age ailments. The news of his death was informed by his son Subhrangshu Roy. He was the union railway minister in 2012 during the second UPA government. He rose to the important post after Dinesh Trivedi replaced him. He had also served as the Minister of State for Shipping.

He had been ill for a long time due to multiple physical issues including kidney ailments. He passed away Monday early morning at 1.30 am while undergoing treatment. Mukul Roy had been staying away from active politics due to his health issues.

Mukul Roy played a major role in the Trinamool Congress coming to power in West Bengal under Mamata's leadership with a historic victory in 2011. He played an active role in bringing many Left leaders to the Trinamool Congress. He was nicknamed the 'Chanakya of Bengal politics'. Roy worked as the face of the Trinamool Congress in the Rajya Sabha for a long time.

He joined the BJP in 2017 after severing ties with Mamata. He played a major role in helping the BJP win 18 seats in Bengal in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He won from the Krishna Nagar Uttar constituency and became an MLA in 2021. Within months, he returned to the Trinamool Congress. He was fighting a legal battle over his disqualification from the membership of the state legislative assembly following his defection to the TMC. The Calcutta High Court disqualified him from the post of MLA. However, the Supreme Court stayed this order. He died while he was currently an MLA. Various leaders, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, condoled his death.