Former Assam minister Siddeque Ahmed dies of cancer at 63

Siddeque Ahmed, a former Assam minister and a four-term MLA who was one of the Barak Valley’s most prominent political figures, has died at the age of 63.

Ahmed passed away at his home in Baraigram, in the Sribhumi district, at around 8 am on Sunday after a long battle with cancer, according to his personal secretary, Sale Ahmed.

He is survived by his wife, Anima Begum, three sons, and a daughter.

A long career in the Barak Valley

Ahmed's political career was defined by his strong hold over the Karimganj South constituency, which he represented across four terms. He first entered the Assam Legislative Assembly in 2001 representing the Samata Party, later contesting as an independent before joining the Congress. He went on to win the seat for Congress in 2011 and again in 2021, when he secured a landslide victory by more than 32,000 votes.

During the administration of the late Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Ahmed served in several ministerial capacities. Between 2011 and 2014, he held independent charge as Minister of State for Cooperation and Border Areas Development. He was later promoted to full cabinet rank, handling portfolios including Industries and Commerce, Power, and Public Enterprises.

Politics and suspension

In recent years, Ahmed found himself in a peculiar political position. Despite remaining a member of the Congress, he was suspended by the opposition party after extending his support to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s BJP-led government during Sarma's first term. That suspension remained in place until his death.

However, the political rift did not diminish his standing within his own party. Following the news of his death, Congress spokesperson Bedabrat Bora said the party still considered Ahmed a member of its organisation and would accord him full respect.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who served alongside Ahmed in the Tarun Gogoi cabinet, expressed deep grief over his passing, describing him as a close friend whose bond transcended party lines.

"We belonged to different political parties, but our bond went beyond politics," Sarma wrote in a social media post. "We were fellow travellers who navigated through difficult phases of life together."

Sarma praised Ahmed's professionalism as a minister and described him as "a great human being who valued relationships and was compassionate towards everyone."

Ahmed was born on October 1, 1962, in Dalopar, in the Patharkandi area of Karimganj. While some local reports listed his age as 64, his birth date indicates he was 18 days shy of his 64th birthday.

In the 2026 state assembly elections, the Congress party fielded a new candidate in Karimganj South, marking the end of Ahmed's active electoral career, though his influence in the region remained significant until his death.