Veteran BJP Leader Kabindra Purkayastha Passes Away at 95

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Silchar, India - A stalwart of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and former Union Minister, Kabindra Purkayastha, has passed away at the age of 95 after a prolonged battle with illness. Purkayastha, a key figure in establishing the BJP's presence in Assam, breathed his last on Wednesday evening at Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH), where he had been undergoing treatment since December 23. According to his family members, Purkayastha had been under intensive care and on ventilation due to multiple complications, including age-related ailments, kidney, and cardiac issues. Born in Kamarkhal village in present-day Bangladesh, Purkayastha migrated to Silchar after the Partition and joined the BJP in 1980. Under the guidance of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Purkayastha played a crucial role in building grassroots party structures across Barak Valley and other parts of Assam. His efforts led to the BJP's first-ever parliamentary victory in the Northeast in the 1991 Lok Sabha elections, where the party won two seats in Assam. Purkayastha is survived by his son, Rajya Sabha MP Kanad Purkayastha, a daughter, grandchildren, and a wide circle of admirers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president JP Nadda, and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, among others, have paid their condolences to the family, acknowledging Purkayastha's contributions to public service and the development of Assam. "He dedicated his entire life to building the party from the grassroots level and worked tirelessly for the development of Assam," said Nadda. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described Purkayastha as 'an institution,' saying, "His legacy cannot be measured merely by the offices he held, but by how he espoused sewa bhav through his actions.