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Former Assam chief minister Bhumidhar Barman passed away on Sunday evening at a private hospital in Guwahati after a prolonged illness, his family said. He was 91.
The veteran Congress leader served as the chief minister of Assam twice. The state government has declared a three-day state mourning.
Responding to the news, the Prime Minister’s Office tweeted, “Anguished by the passing away of former Assam CM and senior politician, Shri Bhumidhar Barman. My thoughts are with his family and supporters in this hour of grief.”
In a statement, the state government said that Barman’s body will be cremated with full state honour.
Barman's first term as the chief minister lasted from April 22 to May 14, 1996 when his predecessor Hiteswar Saikia died.
He was again made the chief minister in 2010 when then CM Tarun Gogoi had gone to Mumbai for his heart surgery.
Barman was a minister in both Hiteswar Saikia and Tarun Gogoi governments, holding important portfolios like Health, Education and Revenue, among others.
The seven-term MLA was first elected to the Assam Assembly in 1967, as per the official records.
He represented Borkhetry in the Nalbari district for four terms. His son Diganta Barman contested from the seat in 2016 and lost. He was also the Congress candidate from the seat this time.
Barman was also the two-time MLA of Nalbari West, and once won the election from Dharmapur.
A doctor by profession, Barman had graduated from Assam Medical College in Dibrugarh in 1958.
He is survived by a son and three daughters.
(With PTI inputs)
