Former Assam Minister Siddeque Ahmed Dies of Cancer at 63
Siddeque Ahmed, former Assam minister and four-term Congress MLA from Karimganj South, died at 63 after a prolonged battle with cancer.
Former Assam minister Siddeque Ahmed died at his residence in Baroigram, Sribhumi district, on Sunday morning after a long battle with cancer. He was 63.
His personal secretary, Sale Ahmed, said the veteran leader passed away around 8 am. He is survived by his wife, Anima Begum, three sons and a daughter.
Ahmed was a prominent political figure in the Barak Valley and served four terms as a Congress MLA from Karimganj South. During the Congress government led by Tarun Gogoi, he held several key portfolios, including Border Protection and Development, Industries and Commerce, and Cooperation.
In Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's first term, Ahmed extended his support to the government while remaining within the Congress. The party subsequently suspended him, and the suspension remained in force until his death.
Congress spokesperson Bedabrat Bora said the party still regards Ahmed as part of the organisation and will accord him full respect.
Sarma condoled his death, saying Ahmed had always prioritised people's welfare as a legislator. Recalling their time together in Gogoi's cabinet, the Chief Minister said that although they belonged to different parties, their bond went beyond politics and they had navigated difficult phases of life as fellow travellers.
Sarma described Ahmed as a minister who ran his departments with professionalism and as a compassionate person who valued relationships. He also expressed his thoughts for Anima Begum and the family in this difficult hour.