Chhattisgarh’s First Chief Minister Ajit Jogi Dies at 74

Chhattisgarh’s first chief minister Ajit Jogi passed away on Friday afternoon. His son, Amit Jogi, confirmed the news on his official Twitter handle. He was 74.

Expressing remorse, Amit Jogi said the last rites of his father will be performed at his native town in Gaurella.

२० वर्षीय युवा छत्तीसगढ़ राज्य के सिर से आज उसके पिता का साया उठ गया।केवल मैंने ही नहीं बल्कि छत्तीसगढ़ ने नेता नहीं,अपना पिता खोया है।माननीय अजीत जोगी जी ढाई करोड़ लोगों के अपने परिवार को छोड़ कर,ईश्वर के पास चले गए।गांव-गरीब का सहारा,छत्तीसगढ़ का दुलारा,हमसे बहुत दूर चला गया। pic.twitter.com/RPPqYuZ0YS

— Amit Ajit Jogi (@amitjogi) May 29, 2020

Jogi was admitted to hospital earlier this month and was in a “very critical” condition and on ventilator support.

With neurological activities “almost nil” and he remaining in coma, doctors had started “audio therapy” by making Jogi listen to his favourite songs on earphones.

Jogi was admitted in Shree Narayana Hospital on May 9 after he suffered a cardiac and respiratory arrest. As per doctors, a sweet tamarind seed had got stuck in his windpipe.

A bureaucrat-turned politician, Jogi had served as the first chief minister of Chhattisgarh from November 2000 to November 2003 in then Congress government, after the state was carved out of Madhya Pradesh.

Jogi, the incumbent MLA from Marwahi seat, parted ways with the Congress in 2016 and formed his outfit Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (J).