Mukul Roy, TMC Founder and Ex-Rail Minister, Dies at 71

Veteran Indian politician Mukul Roy, a founding member of the Trinamool Congress and former Union Railway Minister, died early Monday from cardiac arrest at a private hospital in Kolkata. He was 71. His son, Subhranshu Roy, confirmed that Roy passed away around 1:30 a.m. after being in a coma for several days due to multiple health complications, including dementia, Parkinson's disease, and diabetes.

Roy's death came after a prolonged period of treatment for various ailments that had kept him out of active politics in his final years. Close associates noted that he had not responded to medical interventions in recent weeks. The family did not immediately release further details on funeral arrangements.

Roy's political career spanned decades and was marked by significant shifts in allegiance. He began in the Indian National Congress's youth wing before becoming one of the key figures in the formation of the Trinamool Congress in 1998, alongside Mamata Banerjee. As the party's general secretary, he served as its second-in-command and was often called the "Chanakya of Bengal politics" for his strategic acumen and organizational skills. He played a pivotal role in the Trinamool...