Guwahati, November 19: Former Assam minister and senior Congress leader Chandan Kumar Sarkar died at a hospital at Bongaigaon on Monday following a cardiac arrest, family sources said. Sarkar was 65 and is survived by wife, two sons and a daughter.

The Congress leader suffered a cardiac arrest at his Bongaigaon home on Monday morning and was immediately rushed to a local hospital, where he passed away. Mourning his death, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the former minister had worked with commitment and dedication for the welfare of the people and made significant contributions to the political and social life of the state.

"As a minister of the previous Congress government, Sarkar had rendered valuable services, which would always be remembered by the people and his death is an irreparable loss to society," Sonowal said in a statement. Manohar Parrikar Dead? Congress Claims Goa CM is No More, BJP Rebuts.

Sarkar was elected to the legislative assembly thrice-1991, 2001 and 2011- from Abhayapuri South constituency and served as the irrigation minister in the third term of the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government.

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Ripun Bora expressed shock at Sarkar's death and offered his condolence to the bereaved family. "I had held a meeting on the forthcoming panchayat elections only three days ago where he was present and had spoken to him even on Sunday.

It is a big loss for the Congress and during the bad times of the party, it was he along with Bhumidhar Barman who had played a pivotal role in maintaining the party's unity," Bora said.

An APCC delegation, led by Bora, has left for Bongaigaon to attend the last rites of the former minister. Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has also condoled Sarkar's death and prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul.