Veteran West Bengal politician Mukul Roy passed away in the early hours of Monday after suffering a massive cardiac arrest. He was 71. Roy breathed his last at around 1:30 AM at a private hospital, his son Subhranshu Roy confirmed. The senior leader had been in a coma for several days and had largely withdrawn from public life due to deteriorating health.
Roy’s death marks the end of a remarkable and often dramatic political journey that reshaped West Bengal’s political landscape. Known widely as the ‘Chanakya’ of Bengal politics, he was admired for his sharp strategic mind and deep understanding of grassroots organization.
Roy was one of the founding members of the All India Trinamool Congress, formed in 1998 by Mamata Banerjee after she broke away from the Congress. From the party’s inception, Roy stood firmly beside Banerjee and quickly rose to become the national general secretary. Within party circles, he was often regarded as the second-in-command and the chief architect of election strategies.
He played a key role in the TMC’s historic 2011 Assembly victory that ended 34 years of Left Front rule in West Bengal. His meticulous planning, booth-level management, and network-building earned him respect across party lines. During the UPA-II government, Roy served as Minister of State for Shipping and later briefly took charge as Union Railway Minister in 2012 after Mamata Banerjee stepped down.
However, Roy’s political career took a turbulent turn when differences with the TMC leadership surfaced. His name emerged in connection with the Saradha chit fund probe and the Narada sting controversy. In 2015, he was removed from the post of party general secretary, signaling a clear rift.
In 2017, Roy joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, a move that stunned Bengal’s political establishment. His switch triggered a series of defections from TMC to BJP. Drawing on his deep knowledge of Bengal’s political framework, Roy helped the BJP rapidly expand its base in the state. The party’s performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections — winning 18 of the 42 seats in West Bengal — was widely attributed to his strategic groundwork.
He contested the 2021 Assembly elections from Krishnanagar on a BJP ticket and secured victory. Yet his influence within the BJP began to decline soon after. In a surprising development, Roy returned to the TMC in June 2021 in the presence of Mamata Banerjee. His son Subhranshu also rejoined the party.
Legal troubles followed. In November 2025, the Calcutta High Court disqualified him as an MLA under the anti-defection law. In January 2026, the Supreme Court of India stayed the High Court’s order, putting the disqualification on hold and questioning aspects of the ruling. By then, Roy had largely stepped away from active politics due to severe health complications.
In his final years, Roy battled dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and diabetes. Close associates said he rarely attended political events and remained under constant medical supervision. Despite his health struggles, his reputation as one of Bengal’s most influential strategists endured.
Born on April 17, 1954, in Kanchrapara in North 24 Parganas district, Roy completed his Bachelor of Science from the University of Calcutta and later earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Madurai Kamaraj University in 2006. He began his political career as a Youth Congress leader, where he first developed a close association with Mamata Banerjee.
Mukul Roy’s political life reflected the complexities of loyalty and power in Indian politics. He helped build the Trinamool Congress from the ground up, strengthened the BJP’s presence in Bengal, and eventually returned to his political roots. Supporters remember him as a master strategist who understood numbers, narratives, and organization like few others. Critics recall the controversies that shadowed him. Yet his impact on West Bengal politics remains undeniable.
He is survived by his son, Subhranshu Roy. His wife, Krishna Roy, predeceased him.
Summary: Mukul Roy died at 71 following a cardiac arrest. A co-founder of the Trinamool Congress, he later joined the BJP and played a major role in expanding its base in West Bengal before returning to TMC. His career was marked by strategic brilliance, political shifts, legal challenges, and significant influence on Bengal’s evolving political landscape.
FAQs: Mukul Roy Death and Political Journey
Q1. Who was Mukul Roy?
Mukul Roy was a senior West Bengal politician and a founding member of the All India Trinamool Congress. He later joined the Bharatiya Janata Party and played a key role in expanding its base in the state.
Q2. When did Mukul Roy die?
Mukul Roy passed away on 23 February 2026 at the age of 71 following a massive cardiac arrest.
Q3. What was the cause of Mukul Roy’s death?
He died due to cardiac arrest after being in a coma for several days. He had been battling multiple health issues, including dementia and Parkinson’s disease.
Q4. Why was Mukul Roy called the ‘Chanakya’ of Bengal politics?
He earned the nickname because of his sharp political strategies, booth-level management skills, and ability to build strong organizational networks that significantly influenced election outcomes in West Bengal.
Q5. What role did Mukul Roy play in TMC?
He was a co-founder of the Trinamool Congress in 1998 and served as its national general secretary. He was widely regarded as the second-in-command to Mamata Banerjee and played a major role in the party’s 2011 Assembly victory.
Q6. When did Mukul Roy join the BJP?
He joined the BJP in 2017 after differences with the TMC leadership. His move led to several defections and helped strengthen the BJP’s position in West Bengal ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Q7. Did Mukul Roy return to TMC?
Yes, Mukul Roy rejoined the Trinamool Congress in June 2021 after a brief but impactful stint with the BJP.
Q8. What ministerial positions did Mukul Roy hold?
He served as Minister of State for Shipping and later as Union Railway Minister during the UPA-II government.
Q9. Who is Mukul Roy’s son?
His son, Subhranshu Roy, is also a politician and had accompanied him during his return to TMC in 2021.
Q10. What is Mukul Roy’s political legacy?
Mukul Roy is remembered as a master strategist who played a crucial role in shaping West Bengal’s political landscape, influencing both the rise of TMC and the expansion of BJP in the state.