Guwahati, November 23: Former Assam Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader, Tarun Gogoi, died on Monday. He was 86. Tarun Gogoi had tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) on August 25 and was admitted to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital. He was discharged on October 25 after he had recovered from the COVID-19 infection. He was readmitted on November 2 following post-coronavirus complications. He breathed his last at around 5:34 pm today.

Born on April 1 in 1936, Gogoi was the longest-serving Chief Minister of Assam. He held the post from 2001 to 2016. A lawyer by profession, Gogoi also served six terms as Member of Parliament. He first represented Jorhat from 1971 to 1985. Later, Gogoi was elected from Kaliabor (1991–96/1998–2002). Gogoi emerged as a national leader after he was appointed as Joint Secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in 1976 under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Gogoi later served as General Secretary of the AICC (1985–90) under Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He held several important portfolios in the Union Cabinet. In Assam, he was first elected as an MLA in 1996. Since then, he was elected as a legislator four times. He first represented Margherita constituency in 1996–98. He was representing the Titabar constituency since 2001.

Tarun Gogoi was elected Chief Minister of Assam for the first time in 2001. He had since led the party to a record three consecutive electoral victories in the state as Chief Minister. Gogoi's father Dr Kamaleshwar Gogoi was a medical practitioner at Rangajan Tea Estate, while his mother Usha was younger sister of renowned poet late Ganesh Gogoi. He is survived by his wife Dolly Gogoi, son Gaurav Gogoi, a Lok Sabha member, and daughter Chandrima Gogoi who lives in the US.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 23, 2020 06:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).