Former three-time Congress MLA Sarat Saikia, who later joined the BJP, died at a hospital in Kolkata on Thursday following prolonged illness, family sources said here.
He was 71 and is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.
Saikia was suffering from renal failure and was hospitalised for four months.
He was elected thrice consecutively in 2001, 2006 and 2011 from Upper Assam's Mahmora constituency on Congress ticket.
Saikia had served as a parliamentary secretary in the last term of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.
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He was denied a Congress ticket in the 2016 Assembly polls, following which he left the party and joined the BJP.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal mourned Saikia's death.
He was a man dedicated to the cause of public service and was admired by all for his amiable personality who made immense contribution for uphold ethical politics and worked to empower the marginalised communities, Sonowal said in a statement here.
His demise is an irreparable loss to the state, he added.
Saikia's mortal remains will be brought to his home town Moran on Friday where the last rites will be performed.
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