Political expert Mukul Roy, a retired Union Railway Minister, died in a private hospital in Kolkata at approximately 1:30 AM on Monday, February 23, 2026. He was 71. Over 40 years of his leadership in West Bengal politics, Mukul Roy finally entered the theatre about 1:30 AM, before collapsing to the floor due to a very bad cardiac episode. He had had long standing health issues, such as dementia and Parkinson’s, and was in a coma for days before dying.
The Trinamool Congress Architect
The rise of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) is integral to Mukul Roy’s political legacy. As a founding member with Mamata Banerjee in 1998 Roy was the organizational backbone of the party. While Banerjee was the charismatic face of the movement, Roy was the “backroom strategist” who created a grassroots support for the party. He was the unquestionable "Number Two" of the TMC for nearly twenty years, acting as Secretary - General and the main link between party leadership and the workers. He earned the title of “Chanakya of Bengal Politics” for his strategic acumen..
A Special Career in National Politics
Roy had a powerful presence beyond the borders of West Bengal, in New Delhi. He was a former two-time Rajya Sabha member and had a lot of portfolios in the Union Cabinet under the UPA-II Government. Under Dinesh Trivedi, he became Union Railway Minister in 2012. His tenure focused on expansion of railway connectivity in Bengal, thereby extending the influence of the TMC. Prior to Railways, he also ran for Minister of State for Shipping - a position which shows that his talents in the areas of his different sectors are not bound to Railways.
The BJP Stint & Return to TMC
Roy also signed up to the Indian state’s political structure when he moved to the BJP (the ruling party of the state) in 2017. He was pivotal in the BJP's enormous gains in the Lok Sabha elections in 2019, when it won 18 seats in Bengal. After the 2021 Assembly elections (where he had been elected to the Krishnanagar Uttar seat on the BJP ticket), Roy returned to the TMC on a high-profile return. His last years however were shaped by deteriorating health status, along with legal fights about his MLA state under the anti-defection law.
Final Tributes
Politicians from across the political spectrum expressed grief over his death. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said his death was a personal tragedy, and leaders of the BJP and the Left spoke how, at a political level, he possessed a singular understanding of the state. He is survived by his son, Subhranshu Roy, who confirmed the performance of the final rites to be held in Kolkata later today. West Bengal, bereft of a leader who is no mere politician, has lost a master of the craft who molded the state’s modern history.
