Former Bengal minister Ujjwal Biswas dies at 72; Mamata condoles
Synopsis
Veteran TMC leader and former West Bengal minister Ujjwal Biswas has died at 72 after weeks on ventilator support in a Kolkata hospital. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s condolence statement went beyond grief — she alleged he was jailed for 49 days on false cases and physically attacked for refusing to switch political sides, directly blaming the BJP for what she called ‘politics of vengeance.’
Key Takeaways
Ujjwal Biswas , former West Bengal minister and TMC MLA, died on 11 November 2026 at age 72 after a prolonged illness.
He had been hospitalised for three weeks and was on full ventilation support in his final days following bypass surgery and a subsequent brain stroke.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced the death via a social media statement, calling it ‘a deeply personal loss.’ Banerjee alleged Biswas was ‘brutally attacked,’ jailed for 49 days on ‘false cases,’ and subjected to physical and mental suffering for refusing to leave the TMC .
She directly blamed the BJP , accusing it of unleashing ‘politics of vengeance, intimidation and persecution’ in Bengal.
Former West Bengal minister Ujjwal Biswas passed away on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, after a prolonged illness, at the age of 72. Biswas, a veteran All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and former member of the legislative assembly, had been hospitalised for three weeks and placed on full ventilation support in his final days.
His Health Decline
Biswas had undergone bypass surgery, after which he suffered a brain stroke that triggered a cascade of medical complications. By Tuesday, 10 November, doctors at the private hospital in Kolkata where he was receiving treatment had described his condition as critical. He did not recover.
Mamata Banerjee's Condolences
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced his passing through a social media statement and expressed profound grief. “He was far more than a colleague in public life. We shared a close and enduring bond built over many years. As a former Minister, MLA and a dedicated member of the Trinamool Congress family, he devoted his life to the party and, above all, to the service of the people. His unwavering loyalty, commitment and years of selfless service made him an invaluable part of our family. His passing is a deeply personal loss and leaves a void that cannot be filled,” Banerjee said.
Allegations of Persecution in His Final Months
Banerjee went further, alleging that Biswas had endured severe suffering in the months before his death. She claimed he was “brutally attacked” and “kept behind bars for 49 days, implicated in false cases and subjected to immense physical and mental suffering.” She recounted that he had personally described to her the “torture, humiliation and intimidation he had endured simply because he refused to abandon his political convictions or switch sides.”
The allegations are directed at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Banerjee said in her statement: “His suffering is a chilling reminder of the politics of vengeance, intimidation and persecution that the BJP has unleashed in Bengal. When political loyalty becomes a reason for persecution, when false cases are weaponised to break people’s spirit, and when those who refuse to surrender are made to suffer, it is democracy itself that stands wounded.” The BJP has not, according to available reports, issued a public response to these specific allegations.
Who Was Ujjwal Biswas
Biswas served as a minister in the West Bengal cabinet and was a long-standing MLA and party functionary within the TMC. He was regarded within party circles as a loyalist and grassroots organiser. His death removes one of the older-generation figures from the TMC’s political structure in the state.
What Comes Next
The death is likely to intensify the ongoing political rhetoric between the TMC and the BJP in Bengal, with Banerjee’s statement framing Biswas’s ordeal as emblematic of a broader pattern of alleged political targeting. Tributes from party leaders and colleagues are expected to continue in the coming days.
Point of View
Which means the narrative is currently one-sided. The broader pattern — of party leaders on both sides weaponising the deaths of colleagues — is well-established in Bengal politics, and this episode fits that template precisely. Whether Biswas’s case becomes a durable political symbol or fades as a footnote will depend on whether opposition or civil society groups take up the specific allegations about his detention.
NationPress
12 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Ujjwal Biswas?
Ujjwal Biswas was a veteran All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader who served as a minister in the West Bengal cabinet and as a member of the legislative assembly. He was known as a long-standing loyalist and grassroots organiser within the party.
How did Ujjwal Biswas die?
Biswas died on 11 November 2026 at age 72 after a prolonged illness at a private hospital in Kolkata. He had undergone bypass surgery, after which he suffered a brain stroke leading to multiple complications; he was on full ventilation support for his final days.
What did Mamata Banerjee say about his death?
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called his passing ‘a deeply personal loss,’ saying he was ‘far more than a colleague.’ She also alleged he had been jailed for 49 days on false cases, physically attacked, and subjected to intimidation for refusing to leave the TMC — allegations she attributed to the BJP.
What are the allegations Mamata Banerjee made against the BJP?
Banerjee alleged in her statement that the BJP subjected Biswas to political persecution in his final months — including a brutal attack and 49 days in detention on what she called false cases. She described it as ‘politics of vengeance, intimidation and persecution.’ The BJP had not publicly responded to these specific allegations at the time of reporting.
What is the political significance of Biswas’s death?
His death sharpens the already fierce TMC-BJP rivalry in West Bengal. Banerjee’s strongly worded statement frames Biswas as a victim of state-led political targeting, a narrative the TMC is expected to amplify ahead of future elections in the state.
