GUWAHATI: Former chief minister Tarun Gogoi, who did not know how to mince words, was journalists’ delight. He was easily accessible and never shied away from answering any question.
In fact, Gogoi was one of those few politicians who had no qualms in saying that he was not indispensable and was ready to make way for the next generation. He was also quick in admitting his faults and apologized promptly. Gogoi lived true to his first name, Tarun, meaning young.
He loved to eat and dress well. His day started with a walk at 6 am and he loved fish and the afternoon nap in equal measure. Survived by wife Dolly Gogoi, son and Lok Sabha MP Gaurav and daughter-in-law Elizabeth, daughter Chandrima, son-in-law Prasenjit Phukan and grandchildren, Gogoi, who served as the chief minister of Assam from 2001 to 2016 was born to Dr Kamleshwar Gogoi and Usha Gogoi at Rangajan Tea Estate in Jorhat district on October 11, 1934.
In 1971, he was elected for the first time to the 5th Lok Sabha during the tenure of Indira Gandhi and remained a true Congress and Gandhi family loyalist. He was the minister of state (independent charge) for food in 1991 and in 1993 he was appointed as the minister of state (independent charge) for food processing industry. Gogoi contested the 2001 Assam elections from Titabar assembly segment successfully and led Congress to victory in the state and took over as the chief minister. Congress under his leadership retained power in 2006 and 2011 assembly elections.
When former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi chose 35-year-old Gogoi to lead the Youth Congress in Assam, little did she know that the young leader will one day be the only face saviour for the Grand Old Party in the northeast 45 years later. Gogoi stood firm beside Indira Gandhi during the Emergency as his mother would always tell him that a person is known by his fidelity. Rahul Gandhi does not miss a chance to acknowledge Gogoi’s unflinching support to his grandmother, father and his mother.
In the last 15 years, Gogoi’s political astuteness overshadowed his predecessor Hiteswar Saikia. Both were rivals within the party but the party high command ensured that they were never on collision course. While Saikia stayed in the state, Gogoi was handling organizational matters at the national level.
He won the 5th, 6th and 7th Lok Sabha elections in 1971, 1977 and 1980, and was the minister of state (independent charge) for food between 1991 and 1993. From 1993 to 1995, he was in the food processing industry ministry. It was after Saikia’s sudden death in 1996 that Gogoi was sent back to the state to lead Congress which was in the opposition. He did not disappoint the high command.
Congress won the 2001 assembly polls under Gogoi and since then he steered the party to victory in every election until the Narendra Modi wave hit the nation in 2014. It is not that Gogoi has never lost any election. In 1996, he was defeated by a margin of a little over 1,000 votes by AGP leader Keshab Mahanta in the Koliabor Lok Sabha constituency, the same seat that his son represents now. But he has never let anything come between him and contesting elections.