Ex-TMC leader and former Railway Minister Mukul Roy passes away
What's the story
Former Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mukul Roy died on Sunday at Apollo Hospital in Salt Lake, Kolkata. He was 71. His son Subhranshu Roy confirmed the news, saying, "Everything is over," India Today reported. Mukul Roy had been suffering from multiple health issues, including dementia, and was in a coma a few days ago.
Career trajectory
Once Mamata's trusted lieutenant
Mukul Roy was once a close aide of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and was considered the second-in-command of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). He co-founded the TMC with Banerjee in 1998 and served as its national general secretary. In 2011, he helped the party wrest control of Bengal from the Left Front, becoming Minister of State for Shipping in the UPA II government.
Political shifts
Joined BJP in 2017
In 2017, Roy surprised many by joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), just two years before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. His entry into the BJP proved to be a masterstroke as he became a key strategist and engineered several defections for his new party. He played an instrumental role in building the BJP's grassroots base in Bengal, helping it win 18 out of 42 Lok Sabha seats in 2019.
Health issues
Returned to TMC in 2022
However, his influence in the BJP waned over time. He left the party a month after Suvendu Adhikari became Leader of the Opposition in Bengal. Roy returned to TMC as his health deteriorated over the last two years. He had been hospitalized multiple times and lost recognition of familiar faces due to dementia. His last rites will be performed on Monday after his body is brought back to his home.