Who was Mukul Roy? The architect of West Bengal’s changing political order

Early Life and Rise in Trinamool Congress

Mukul Roy was born on April 17, 1954, in Kanchrapara, a town in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.

He kicked off his political career in the Youth Congress during the 1980s, gaining valuable experience in grassroots organizing. As Mamata Banerjee emerged as a force against the dominant Congress party, Roy became her close associate. In 1998, he left Congress alongside Banerjee to co-found the All India Trinamool Congress, or TMC.

Roy quickly rose through the ranks, appointed national general secretary in 2006. He was the party's principal organizational strategist, building a strong grassroots network that propelled TMC forward. His efforts were crucial in the land acquisition protests at Singur and Nandigram, where he bridged ties with ultra-left groups to challenge the Left Front's grip. These movements galvanized public support and set the stage for TMC's breakthrough.

National Roles and Electoral Triumphs

Roy's influence extended to national politics when he was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2006, serving two terms and leading TMC's parliamentary party there.

During the UPA-II government, he held key cabinet positions: first as Minister of State for Shipping from 2009 to 2011, then as Union Railway Minister from March to September 2012, stepping in after a fare hike controversy involving Dinesh Trivedi.

Back in West Bengal, Roy's strategic brilliance shone in the 2011 Assembly elections. TMC's victory ended the Left Front's 34-year rule, a historic shift Roy orchestrated through coalitions and voter mobilization. He was seen as Mamata Banerjee's second-in-command, the brain behind the party's expansion.

"Mukul Roy was the architect of our 2011 victory, the one who built our organization from the ground up and turned impossible dreams into reality," a longtime TMC colleague once recalled, highlighting his unmatched tactical skills.

Political Switches, Controversies, and Legacy

Roy's career took dramatic turns amid controversies. His name cropped up in the Saradha chit fund scam and Narada sting operation, leading to his removal as TMC general secretary in 2015 and expulsion in 2017.

That November, he joined the BJP, becoming national vice-president and masterminding their Bengal expansion. He played a pivotal role in BJP winning 18 Lok Sabha seats in 2019 and a strong 2021 Assembly performance. Roy won the 2021 election from Krishnanagar Uttar on a BJP ticket.

Weeks later, he rejoined TMC in the presence of Mamata and Abhishek Banerjee, sparking legal battles over anti-defection laws. Courts saw prolonged disputes, with the Calcutta High Court disqualifying him as MLA, though the Supreme Court offered interim relief. His ambiguity in loyalties mirrored Bengal's fluid politics.

Roy was famed for institutionalizing "horse-trading," poaching legislators from rivals to weaken opposition. From 2011-2014, TMC under his guidance lured MLAs from Congress, RSP, CPI(M), and others, reshaping local governance at panchayat and municipal levels. Critics decried this as eroding ethics, but it solidified TMC dominance. Even in BJP, he orchestrated mass defections, like three MLAs and 16 councillors joining in one day in 2019.

Health issues forced him to step back from active politics later. On a Sunday morning, after battling multiple ailments including kidney problems, Roy suffered a heart attack at 1:30 am and passed away at 71 in a Kolkata private hospital. His son Subhrangshu confirmed the news.

Mukul Roy's death marks the end of an era for West Bengal politics. From TMC founder to BJP strategist and back, he was the ultimate shape-shifter, dubbed the Chanakya of Bengal for his non-ideological pragmatism. His strategies dismantled old regimes, fueled party growth, and introduced transactional politics, leaving a complex legacy of triumphs and controversies that continue to influence the state's shifting alliances.