Will request government to build memorial in Tarun Gogoi's memory: Assam LoP

Mourning the demise of former chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Monday, Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, said that he will request the state government to set up a memorial in Guwahati in his memory.

Three-time Assam chief minister Gogoi (84) died on Monday evening at Guwahati Medical College after suffering a multi-organ failure. He had also been tested positive for the COVID-19 in August.

"I will request the government to build a memorial in Guwahati in the memory of Tarun Gogoi who was the chief minister of Assam for 15 years," Congress MLA Saikia told .

Paying tributes to the three-time CM of Assam in a tweet, Saikia wrote: "3-time former CM of Assam @tarun_gogoi Sir peacefully breathed his last at 5.34 pm today at GMCH. I was fortunate enough to play recorded recital of a couple of Shlokas from the Bhagawat Gita for him before the end came. Sir, stay happy & at peace in the unseen world."

Disclosing about Gogoi's last journey, Saikia said his body will be sent to his official residence on Tuesday first and then it will be taken to the Congress headquarters in Guwahati before the funeral.

Ripun Bora, president of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), said that people and history will remember the contributions of Gogoi for the state.

"Nobody can substitute the sacrifice and contribution of Tarun Gogoiji. The people of Assam will remember Tarun Gogoi's personality and his contributions to the all-round development of the state. He led an able administration in his tenure as chief minister. He was a tall figure and a clean politician," Bora said.

Bora tweeted that the demise of Gogoi is "End of an Era" of politicians who never feared criticism.

"End of an Era! Tarun da's demise must be noted as the curtain that fell on the politicians of a different era; the kind who never feared facing criticism, be it the public or the media; never took shortcuts to win an election, and weren't vindictive towards a political opponent," Bora tweeted.

A popular leader with a grounded style of governance, Gogoi was the longest-serving CM of Assam who steered the state through difficult times and pushed it firmly on the path of development.

Gogoi made his way up in the Congress from the grassroots, holding several orgsational posts and getting elected six times to the Lok Sabha before being elected as the CM in 2001. He led the party to a record three consecutive electoral victories in Assam, completing 15 years as chief minister in 2016.

( With inputs from ANI )