Ajit Jogi, the first Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, has died. The 74-year-old had been in hospital for a few days.
His son Amit Jogi made the announcement on Twitter.
“20-year-old Chhattisgarh has lost a patriarch. Not just me, but Chhattisgarh and its citizens have lost a father,” Amit Jogi posted in his tribute.
Ajit Jogi suffered two cardiac arrests over the past week. He had been in hospital for nearly three weeks.
The former Congress leader became the first Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh when the state was born in 2000.
He exited the Congress in 2016 and went on to form the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J).
Shri Ajit Jogi Ji was passionate about public service. This passion made him work hard as a bureaucrat and as a political leader. He strived to bring a positive change in the lives of the poor, especially tribal communities. Saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family. RIP.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 29, 2020
In the 2018 election, Ajit Jogi’s party failed to make a mark as the BJP lost power after three terms and the Congress won comfortably.
Mr Jogi – a Congressman all his life – was expelled along with his son for anti- party activities.
He had a long association with the Nehru-Gandhi family, even though he was never on the best of terms with Rahul Gandhi.