Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condoled the death of Assam’s longest serving chief minister, Tarun Gogoi, and said he was anguished by his passing away.

“Shri Tarun Gogoi Ji was a popular leader and a veteran administrator, who had years of political experience in Assam as well as the Centre,” Modi tweeted. “Anguished by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family and supporters in this hour of sadness. Om Shanti.”

Gogoi, who had been battling for his life with post-Covid complications in a hospital for weeks, died of a multiple organ failure on Monday. The 86-year-old three-time Congress chief minister, who represented the Titabor Assembly constituency in Jorhat district, had tested positive for the coronavirus on August 25. He was among 24 legislators from the state to have contracted the infection.

President Ram Nath Kovind, too, expressed his grief and remembered Gogoi’s illustrious political career, saying his tenure in office was a “period of epochal change” in Assam. “The country has lost a veteran leader with rich political and administrative experience,” Kovind wrote on Twitter.

“He will always be remembered for the development of Assam and especially towards his efforts to improve law and order and fighting insurgency in the state,” the president added. “His passing away marks the end of an era.”

Rahul Gandhi said Gogoi was a “true Congress leader” who devoted his life to bringing all the people and communities of Assam together. “For me, he was a great and wise teacher,” Gandhi wrote. “I loved and respected him deeply.”

The Congress leader added that he will miss Gogoi and gave his love and condolences to the family.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who cancelled his engagements in Dibrugarh and flew back to Guwahati, offered his condolences and remembered Gogoi as a vibrant leader “who was full of life until a few days back”. “It’s the end of an era in Assam’s public life,” Sonowal added.

Union Home Minister said he was anguished to learn about Gogoi’s death and called it a “tragic loss”.

More tributes pour in: