Former Railway Minister, TMC leader Mukul Roy passes away at 71

Former Railway Minister Mukul Roy passed away on Monday. He was 71.

Roy breathed his last at 1:30 am at the private hospital, his son Subhranshu Roy said, adding that he had been in a coma for the last several days.

Roy was a founder member of TMC when the party was formed in 1998.

Later, following differences with the party, he joined the BJP in 2017.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said he will be remembered for his political experience and efforts to serve the society.

"Pained by the passing of former Union Minister Shri Mukul Roy Ji. He will be remembered for his political experience and efforts to serve society. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti," Modi wrote on X.

Roy became an MLA from Krishnanagar Uttar constituency in the 2021 West Bengal assembly polls on a BJP ticket, but returned to the TMC after the polls.

During his long political career, he served as the railway minister in 2011 in the UPA-2 government, when the TMC was part of the Centre.

He was elected twice to the Rajya Sabha from West Bengal.

(With PTI inputs)