Assam Congress chief, Anjan Dutta passes away

NEW DELHI: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Anjan Dutta passed away this morning at the AIIMS hospital here following cardiac failure.

Dutta, 64, was admitted to the hospital on May 18, and was under treatment at the department of Pulmonary Sciences.

He was initially admitted to the Apollo Hospital in New Delhi on May 12 with complaints of severe chest infection. He died due to cardiac failure at 7:11 this morning, Dutta's close relative Geetartha Darshan Baruah said.

The Congress leader leaves behind his wife and three daughters, one of whom had unsuccessfully contested the recent Assembly elections in Assam. Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi had met him on May 25.

Dutta, a close confidante of former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, was a Cabinet Minister handling several departments including transport, in the state in the past.

He was appointed APCC President on December 13, 2014 and had been holding the post ever since.