Silchar: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday visited the residence of late BJP leader Kabindra Purkayastha in Silchar to pay his last respects and offer condolences to the bereaved family.
In a post on X, Sarma said Purkayastha had made rich contributions to Assam’s social and political life and that his ideals would continue to guide the state. He also conveyed his sympathies to Purkayastha’s son Kanad Purkayastha and other family members.
"Visited the residence of Late Kabindra Purkayastha in Silchar to pay my obeisance to the departed soul who made rich contributions to Assam's society and polity. His ideals will always guide us. My thoughts with Shri @kanadpurkaystha and the family in this hour of grief," Sarma wrote on X.
Kabindra Purkayastha, one of the pioneers of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Northeast, passed away at Silchar Medical College and Hospital at the age of 94. Widely regarded as the patriarch of the Assam BJP, he played a key role in laying the party’s ideological and organisational foundations in the region.
Born on December 15, 1931, Purkayastha had a long political career and also served as Union Minister of State for Communications in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government between 1998 and 1999.
Even after retiring from active politics, he remained a respected figure within the party, with senior leaders and ministers often seeking his advice.
His death prompted an outpouring of tributes from BJP leaders and the state leadership, who remembered him for his contribution to public life and the growth of the party in Assam.