“The State of Chhattisgarh Has Lost Its Father”: Tributes Pour in For First CM, Ajit Jogi

The first Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Ajit Jogi, has died at the age of 74 after suffering two cardiac arrests in the last week. His son Amit Jogi, announced the news on Twitter, where he said it wasn’t just him, but the state of Chhattisgarh that had lost a father.

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 Jogi (@amitjogi) May 29, 2020

Tributes poured in for the veteran politician on Twitter, including from Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu, and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Saddened by the demise of Shri Ajit Jogi, the first Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh and a former Member of Parliament. My condolences to the bereaved family. May his soul rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/DV0mngAJEl

— Vice President of India (@VPSecretariat) May 29, 2020

I am very sorry to hear of the demise of Shri Ajit Jogi Ji. Deepest condolences to his family and well-wishers. A leader and the first Chief Minister who laid the foundations of the state of Chhattisgarh, his loss will be felt by many.

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) May 29, 2020

Journalist Rajdeep Sardesai said the former CM will “sadly be remembered for many wrongs”, but also reminded his followers that Jogi may have been the first IAS officer to transition to chief minister of a state.

Ajit Jogi will sadly be remembered for many wrongs, but he was not only the first CM of Chattisgarh but also (I think) the first IAS officer to become a CM.. RIP

— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) May 29, 2020

Early in his political career tw-align-center, Jogi had made history by becoming the first leader of Chhattisgarh, when the state was first carved out in 2000. He was then associated with the Congress, and was said to be a staunch Nehru-Gandhi loyalist.

Later in 2016, however, he was apparently expelled from the Congress for anti party activities along with his son, and went on to float his own party — the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J). He lost the consequent 2018 elections to his former party.

Before he got into politics in the late ’80s, Jogi was a veteran of the Indian Police Service, as well as the Indian Administrative Service. His stint in politics began as a Rajya Sabha member from Madhya Pradesh. In 1998, he won his first Lok Sabha seat from Raigarh.

While campaigning for the Congress party during the 2004 elections, the former CM was also involved in a horrible car accident that left him partially paralysed. He went on to win the seat by 1.2 lakh votes.

Chhattisgarh has lost a true leader & a humble servant, Shri #AjitJogi. Not just did he serve as the first CM of CG, but spent his life in devoted service to the nation.
My thoughts & prayers are with his family. May his soul rest in peace.

— Navajyoti Patnaik (@NavjyotiPatnaik) May 29, 2020

During his stint as the most formidable politician in the state, he was put under fire by several quarters in the opposition BJP, as well as his party at the time, the Congress.

The former CM is survived by his wife Dr Renuka and son Amit. His daughter passed away in 2000, the year he took over as CM of Chhattisgarh.