February 23, 2026, Kolkata : Veteran Indian politician and former Railway Minister Mukul Roy has died at the age of 71 in Kolkata early on Monday, his family announced. He passed away at around 1.30 am at a private hospital in the Salt Lake area following a cardiac arrest after a prolonged period of illness, leaving behind a long and eventful legacy in public life.
Mukul Roy had been battling multiple health issues for several years, including serious ailments that confined him to hospital care and a period in a coma in the final days of his life, his son said. Throughout his political career, he held several important positions and was widely recognised for his organisational skills and strategic influence.
Born in West Bengal, he began his political journey as a member of the Indian National Congress before emerging as one of the founding figures of the All India Trinamool Congress when it was established in 1998. He served as the Minister of State for Shipping and later as the Minister of Railways in the United Progressive Alliance government at the national level.
Roy’s career was marked by notable shifts in political allegiance. In 2017, he left the Trinamool Congress and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, playing an active role in its organisational efforts in West Bengal. He won a seat in the 2021 state assembly on a BJP ticket but later returned to the Trinamool Congress after the polls, a move that became a subject of legal debate under anti-defection laws.
Elected twice to the Rajya Sabha from West Bengal, Roy’s influence extended across state and national politics. Leaders from various parties expressed condolences, recognising his decades-long contribution to public life. Despite his retreat from active politics in his later years due to ill health, he remained a significant figure in the political landscape of his state and the country.
