Biraj Kumar Sarma - one of the signatories of the historic Assam Accord of 1985, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) co-founder and former minister died Tuesday ata private hospital here, his family and party sources said.
Sarma died around 2:30 am in the hospital where he was admitted on January 6 for protracted illness, hospital sources said.
He was a front ranking leader of the six-year longAssam Movement led by the All Assam Students Union from 1979 which had culminated in the signing of the Memorandum ofSettlement (MoS) Assam Accord in 1985 between AASU andrepresentatives of central and Assam governments.
Sarma had participated in the Assam Movement as an active member of Sadou Asom Gana Sangram Parishad and co-founded AGP, which was formed by the Assam agitationleaders in 1985. He was the general secretary of the party andlater its vice-president.
He remained with the AGP since its formation till his death and had represented Gauhati East assembly constituency twice.
Sarma had served as minister of municipal administration in the second term of the AGP-led governmentfrom 1996 to 2001, party sources said adding he had survived agun attack on him by the proscribed United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) in 1998.
Ranjit Dass, state BJP president, has condoled Sarma's death.
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