Assam Accord signatory and AGP co-founder Biraj Kumar

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Biraj Kumar Sarma - one of the signatories of the historic Assam Accord of 1985, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) co-founder and former minister died Tuesday at a private hospital here, his family and party sources said.

Sarma died around 2.30 am in the hospital where he was admitted on January 6 for protracted illness, hospital sources said.

He was a front ranking leader of the six-year long Assam Movement led by the All Assam Students Union from 1979 which had culminated in the signing of the Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) Assam Accord in 1985 between AASU and representatives of central and Assam governments.

Sarma had participated in the Assam Movement as an active member of Sadou Asom Gana Sangram Parishad and co-founded AGP, which was formed by the Assam agitation leaders in 1985. He was the general secretary of the party and later its vice-president.

He remained with the AGP since its formation till his death and had represented Gauhati East assembly constituency twice.

Sarma had served as minister of municipal administration in the second term of the AGP-led government from 1996 to 2001, party sources said adding he had survived a gun attack on him by the proscribed United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) in 1998.

Ranjit Dass, state BJP president, has condoled Sarma's death.