Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday condoled the demise of veteran leader Mukul Roy. While PM Modi remembered his contribution, Mamata Banerjee described him as a long-time political ally and co-warrior in many conflicts.
PM Narendra Modi wrote in a post on Instagram, “Deeply saddened by the demise of former Union Minister Shri Mukul Roy ji. He will always be remembered for his political experience and social service efforts. Our deepest condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti.”
In a Bengali post on Twitter, Mamata Banerjee said she was “shocked and saddened” by Roy’s demise and recalled that he had worked tirelessly since the inception of the Trinamool Congress and had gained acceptance at all levels of the party.
He said, “I am extremely shocked and saddened by the news of the sudden demise of senior politician Mukul Roy. He has been my long-term political colleague and my companion in many political struggles. The news of his demise leaves me heartbroken.”
The Chief Minister said that late Mukul Roy had dedicated his life to the party since its inception. He served as a Union Minister and enjoyed acceptance at all levels of the party.
Banerjee said he later chose a different political path but then returned, adding that his contributions and organizational skills to West Bengal politics would not be forgotten.
Saying that the political fraternity, irrespective of party affiliation, would miss him, Banerjee expressed her condolences to Roy’s family and supporters and urged her son to remain strong in the face of the loss.
Banerjee’s nephew and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also condoled Roy’s demise.
In a post he wrote: “The demise of Mukul Roy marks the end of an era in the political history of West Bengal. A seasoned leader with wide-ranging experience, his contributions helped shape an important phase of the state’s public and political journey.”
He further said, “As one of the founding pillars of the All India Trinamool Congress, he played an important role in the expansion and strengthening of the organization in its formative years. His dedication to public life will be remembered with admiration. I express my heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and admirers. May his soul rest in peace.”
Roy, a former railway minister and former Rajya Sabha MP, died of a heart attack at a private hospital here in the early hours of Monday. He was once considered the most trusted aide of Mamata Banerjee and a key strategist of TMC.
He was suffering from multiple ailments and was frequently hospitalized for the last two years. He also suffered from dementia and had recently slipped into a coma, family members said.
