Ajit Jogi, first CM of Chhattisgarh, passes away

• Ajit Jogi had served as the first chief minister of Chhattisgarh from 2000 to 2003
• He had suffered cardiac arrest and was on ventilator support for three weeks

NEW DELHI: Ajit Jogi, Chhattisgarh’s first chief minister, passed away on Friday in Raipur after a prolonged illness. A rebel Congress leader, Jogi went on to form a political party of his own -- Janta Congress Chhatttisgarh -- which debuted in the 2018 assembly elections.

The 74-year-old leader was in a private hospital for nearly three weeks, according to a news report by Press Trust of India. He had suffered cardiac arrest at home and remained on ventilator support in the hospital. After two cardiac arrests, doctors had termed Ajit Jogi’s condition as ‘extremely critical’

“The 20-year young state of Chhattisgarh has lost its father's shadow today. Not only me but Chhattisgarh has not just a leader but also a father. Honorable Ajit Jogi left his family of 2.5 crore people for heavenly abode. Chhattisgarh’s loved and the support of poor has left us today," Amit Jogi, Ajit Jogi’s son and president of the Janata Congress wrote on Twitter.

Amit Jogi added that his father's funeral will take place at his native village Gaurella in Chhattisgarh. .

Ajit Jogi had served as the first chief minister of Chhattisgarh from 2000 to 2003 after it split from Madhya Pradesh. He had left Congress in 2016 and formed his regional outfit along with his son. He has served both as a parliamentarian and legislator as well as a bureaucrat in the past.

Condolences have poured in across political spectrum over Ajit Jogi's death. “Deeply saddened to learn about the passing away of veteran leader & former Chhattisgarh CM #AjitJogi. My thoughts & prayers are with the bereaved family," Naveen Patnaik, Odisha chief minister wrote on Twitter.

“Shri Ajit Jogi was a visionary mass leader. Coming from a humble background, he had an inspiring journey:from serving in IPS to IAS, being elected as MP to both houses & becoming the first CM of Chhattisgarh. My Deepest condolence to @amitjogi and his family. Om Shanti," senior Congress leader Naveen Jindal posted on Twitter.

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