Veteran Congressman and ex-Assam CM Tarun Gogoi dies from post-COVID complications
Guwahati: Veteran Congress leader and a three-term former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi breathed his last at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) at 5.34 pm on Monday while undergoing treatment for post-COVID-19 complications.
Gogoi, thrice chief minister of the state from 2001 to 2016, was 84 and is survived by wife Dolly, daughter Chandrima and son Gaurav, a Lok Sabha member.
The doctors conducted an ECG and found that his heart has stopped, following which the GMCH superintendent confirmed that he is no more, state Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
Gogoi, a six-time MP, was first admitted to the hospital on August 26 after testing positive for COVID-19 and was discharged for a brief period before being admitted again on November 2.
His condition deteriorated on November 21, following multi-organ failure and was put on invasive ventilation.
Gogoi was given dialysis on Sunday. His condition deteriorated further over the past few hours and the hospital where he was admitted said he was "very, very critical".
He will be cremated with full state honours on Thursday in Guwahati.
"The doctors will complete necessary medical formalities in the night to prepare the body for keeping it safe for three days," state Congress chief Ripun Bora said.
On November 26, Gogoi's last journey will start from Kalakshetra and his cremation will take place in Guwahati instead of his hometown Titabor, he said. "As per his last wish, the body will be taken to a temple, mosque and church before the last rites," he added.
Assam government announced a three-day state mourning in the honour of Gogoi. The ruling BJP and opposition Congress also cancelled all party functions, including the ongoing campaign for the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections, for the next three days as a mark of respect.
Leaders across the political spectrum, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind, condoled the demise of the Congress stalwart. Earlier in the day, PM Modi, former PM Manmohan Singh and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had called Gogoi's son and MP Gaurav Gogoi and enquired about the former CM's health. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi too had called Gaurav. Senior Assam ministers and important political leaders visited Gogoi's family at the hospital throughout the day.
Gogoi was born on April 1, 1936 into an ethnic Assamese Tai-Ahom family at Rangajan Tea Estate located in the erstwhile Sivasagar district, now Jorhat district of Assam.His father, Dr Kamaleshwar Gogoi was a medical practitioner at the tea estate while his mother, Usha Gogoi, was known for her collection of poetry –– Hiyar Samahar.
