86-year-old veteran Congress leader and Assam’s former chief minister Tarun Gogoi died on Monday at the age of 86. The staunch Nehru-Gandhi family loyalist was arguably one of the most popular figures in Indian politics since Independence.

Born in a British India, Gogoi completed his LLB from Gauhati University and went on to serve as Member of Parliament from the Lok Sabha six times. In his initial days, he represented the constituency of Jorhat, and later was elected from Kaliabor between 1991-96 and 1998-2002. Under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Gogoi became a political leader of national acclaim. He also served as the general secretary of the All Indian Congress Committee (AICC) between 1985 to 1990, under then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

During the PV Narasimha Rao tenure of 1991-1996, Gogoi was given Food and Food Processing Industry department, assuming his role as in the Union Cabinet of India.

Gogoi was elected the chief minister of Assam in 2001 after he led the Congress to victory in the state elections. Gogoi stayed in power for 15 years, winning three back to back elections while at the helm of the Congress party in the state.

During his tenure as CM, he was credited with bringing various militant factions, including the ULFA to the negotiating table, and scripting a return from bankruptcy for the North Eastern state. He also ushered in a new era of development as his three stints in power marked many highs with a few lows.

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In his third stint, however, Gogoi faced a rival faction within his party and ahead of the 2014 elections stated that he would resign from his post of CM if the Congress did not win seven out of the 14 Lok Sabha seats. Following his party’s defeat on the national stage, Congress was also ousted from power in Assam in the 2016 elections.

In the twilight of his career, Gogoi dominated as the Opposition leader and vehemently opposed the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act and the implementation of National Register of Citizens.

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In his memoir, ‘Turnaround’ published in 2016, Gogoi stated that he knew, “in taking oath and signing the register, my first signature as the chief minister, I would be signing a pledge of responsibility. In carrying out my duties, I would be shaping Assam’s future.”

A devout Congress leader, Gogoi died as he lived, “ a Congressman, till the last breath of (his) life.”