Tarun Gogoi, former Assam CM, passes away at 86

Former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi passed away on November 23. He was 86 years old.

Doctors at the Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) had said on November 23 that Gogoi’s health condition had deteriorated and that he was "very very critical". Gogoi was being treated there for post-COVID complications.

The veteran politician had tested positive for COVID-19 in August and was hospitalised for the same before being discharged on October 25 following recovery. However, he was admitted to GMCH again on November 2 and was put on invasive ventilation on November 21 when his health condition worsened.

Gogoi led the Congress government in Assam for 15 consecutive years between 2001 and 2016 – making him the longest-serving chief minister of the state.

Before serving in prime minister PV Narasimha Rao’s Union Cabinet as the Minister of State for Food and Food Processing Industry, he was the General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) under the then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. Gogoi was also a six-term Lok Sabha Member of Parliament (MP). He has represented the Titabar Assembly constituency in Jorhat District since 2001.

Gogoi is survived by his wife Dolly, daughter Chandrima and son Gaurav, who is the Congress’ deputy leader in the Lok Sabha. Gaurav is also a two-time MP from Kaliabor, a constituency previously held by his father and uncle Dip Gogoi.

News reports suggest that Assam’s Health Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Himanta Biswa Sarma, a former confidant of Gogoi, had visited the hospital on November 23 to take stock of the former chief minister’s health.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had spoken to Gaurav Gogoi to enquire about his father’s health.

Gogoi had said in August that he is not in the fray to be Congress’ chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Legislative Assembly election, but would rather play an advisory role. Assam is expected to head for polls in April-May 2021.