Tarun Gogoi Passes Away

The Congress Working Committee deeply mourns the demise of Shri TarunGogoi, one of the stalwarts of the Congress Party for nearly four decades. Shri Gogoi was the tallest leader of Assam and of the North-Eastern region and was, for many years, the authentic voice of that region, its people and their aspirations. As a Congress worker, MP for six terms, Union Minister, President of Assam PCC, and Chief Minister for three consecutive terms (2001-2016), he epitomized the fundamental values of the Congress Party and was the Party’s proud standard-bearer.

Shri Gogoi took over as Chief Minister at the most troubled time in the state’s history. Taking forward the historic Assam Accord of 1985, he transformed Assam into a vibrant and modern state. His critical role in persuading many militant groups to abjure violence and join the mainstream will be written in the annals of Assam and long remembered by the people. In every task that he undertook, he brought his enormous knowledge of the complex issues, deft political skills, amiable disposition and genuine desire to find a common ground. He was the quintessential consensus-seeker. Under his leadership, Assam became a model of communal harmony and development. His words and actions were emulated in the entire region and his views were heard with great respect in the entire country.

In recent months, Shri Gogoi had been campaigning extensively and vigorously to secure a mandate once again for the Congress Party in the forthcoming Assembly elections. The CWC is confident that Congressmen and women of Assam will continue to take encouragement and inspiration from the life and work of Shri Gogoi and fulfil his desire.

The CWC pays homage to the memory of Shri Tarun Gogoi and extends its deepest and heartfelt condolences to his family.

With Tarun Gogoi’s Death, Assam Loses One of Its Tallest Leaders Gogoi was one of Assam’s tallest Congress leaders and its longest-serving chief minister. Former Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader from Assam, Tarun Gogoi, passed away on Monday, 23 November due to post COVID-19 complications. Assam government has announced three-day state mourning to pay respect to Gogoi. The 84-year-old, who had been in the Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) since November 2 after he complained of breathlessness, was declared dead by the team of doctors monitoring his health. Gogoi had suffered multiple organ failure and was on ventilation for several days.

Assam’s Longest-Serving Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi was born in 1936 into an ethnic Assamese Tai-Ahom family at the Rangajan Tea Estate in the state’s Jorhat district. His father was a medical practitioner at the tea estate while his mother was the younger sister of renowned Assamese poet Ganesh Gogoi.

He graduated from Jagannath Barooah College in Jorhat and after that did LLB from Gauhati University. He married Dolly Gogoi in 1972 and has two children - Chandrima, an MBA and Gaurav, who is also a Congress leader and MP. Rising through the ranks, Gogoi led the Congress in Assam to three consecutive electoral victories in the state. In 2012, he became the longest-serving Chief Minister in the state after serving for 12 consecutive years.

The Tallest Congress Leader in Assam Tarun Gogoi started his political career as a ward member of the Jorhat Municipality in 1968. In 1971, he was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) in the Lok Sabha and served for six terms till 2001, first from Jorhat and later from Koliabor.

However, Gogoi came into the national limelight after he was selected as the Joint Secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in 1976, under the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He then went on to serve the party as the President of the Assam Congress from 1986 to 1990 and was then re-elected for the second term in 1996.

The veteran politician was also a union minister between 1991 and 1995 handling the portfolio of food processing ministry independently in the PV Narasimha Rao government.

After a long stint in Delhi, Gogoi returned to active politics in Assam and led Congress government for three consecutive terms between 2001 and 2016. The veteran leader had been the representative of the Titabar assembly seat at the time of his death.

He also served four terms as Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) in Assam from 1986 to 2001, before being elected as chief minister for the first time.

He stayed CM from 2001 to 2016, a total of 15 years. The former CM’s wife Dolly, daughter Chandrima and son Gaurav were at GMCH at the time of his death. No wonder he was Assam’s most universally loved and venerated public figure: Sonia Gandhi Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s letter to Gaurav Gogoi: It is with great grief that I learnt of the passing away of your beloved father.

Shri Tarun Gogoi was one of the tallest leaders of the Congress party, admired and respected for his extraordinary wisdom, vision and ability. With his long years of experience as an MLA, an MP, a Central Minister and Chief Minister of Assam, he was someone to whose unfailingly wise counsel and advice we could always turn to. I know in what great regard Smt. Indira Gandhi and Shri Rajiv Gandhi held him. For me, his loss is also a deeply personal one — I cannot forget the warmth and care he showed me on my many visits to Assam. During those visits, I saw how loved he was by all the many communities and people of Assam, how much he had done for them, and for their progress and welfare. No wonder he was Assam’s most universally loved and venerated public figure and the longest-serving Chief Minister of the State.

At this time of grief, my thoughts are with you and your family. Your father’s life was cut short by this cruel pandemic, but he leaves a precious and lasting legacy in the standards he set and in his immense contribution to national life. He is now relieved from his suffering, and at peace. The Congress party will always honour his memory. With my deepest condolences.

TarunGogoi was one of my dearest friends from Assam: Dr. Manmohan Singh

Former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Monday described ex-chief minister Tarun Gogoi as one of his dearest friends from Assam and said the country has lost a very good leader who always worked for the betterment of the poor and the downtrodden.

In his condolence message to the former Chief Minister’s wife Dolly Gogoi, Shri Singh said that Gogoi was the most popular leader from Assam who had a pleasant nature.

“I was deeply shocked and saddened by the untimely passing away of your beloved husband Shri Tarun Gogoi ji. He was one of my dearest friends from the state of Assam.

Shri Tarun Gogoi ji was the most popular leader from Assam who served six terms as a member of Parliament and had led the party to a record three consecutive electoral victories in the state of Assam as Chief Minister,” Shri Singh said in his letter.

“With his hard work, pleasant nature and popularity, he became one of the tallest leaders of the state, who led the Congress party in Assam for a long time. In his deathour country, especially the state of Assam, has lost a very good leader who always worked for the betterment of the poor and downtrodden people of the society,” the former Prime Minister said.

Dr. Singh, who has been a Rajya Sabha member from Assam for five terms since 1991, conveyed his condolences to Gogoi’s family and prayed for his departed soul.

“We pray to the Almighty to give all of you the strength to bear this great loss with courage and fortitude,” he said. He devoted his life to bringing all the people and communities of Assam together: Rahul Gandhi “Shri Tarun Gogoi was a true Congress leader. He devoted his life to bringing all the people and communities of Assam together. For me, he was a great and wise teacher. I loved and respected him deeply.

“I will miss him. My love and condolences to Gaurav & the family,” tweeted the Congress leader. Rahul Gandhi’s letter to Gaurav Gogoi: I am deeply saddened by the demise of your father. The nation and the party have lost a statesman whose vision and dedication transformed the lives of millions of people. His firm commitment to fighting divisiveness and bringing peace to Assam will be remembered.

His political journey is testament to his stature as a leader who shaped modern Assam. And as I told you, when we spoke, he touched many of us outside the state. I saw him as a mentor and teacher and will miss his profound understanding and deeply thought out perspective. He was a rare gem of a person and we loved him for that. He will continue to inspire many of us.

My thoughts, prayers and love are with you and your family in this difficult time. Smt. Priyanka Gandhi Tweeted:

Tarun Gogoi was the most popular voice of Assam. He was a hard-working Congress leader who devoted his entire life to serving the people of Assam and establishing love among all. Humble Tribute to him!

My condolences to Assam, Gaurav Gogoi and his family.