Guwahati, March 19: Former Assam chief minister Golap Borbora passed away here tonight. He was 83 and suffering from old age ailments.

A staunch socialist, he was the first to lead a non-Congress government in Assam in 1978-79. He was also a Rajya Sabha MP.

He is survived by four sons, including noted advocate Arup Borbora.

His son Arup said the cremation will take place during the course of the day tomorrow. “He was ailing for quite some time. The end came at around 9.30 pm at his flat in a housing colony in Hengerabari,” he added.

Golap Borbora headed the Janata Party government from March 12, 1978 to September 4, 1979. He succeeded Sarat Chandra Sinha.

A follower of Ram Manohar Lohia and Jai Prakash Narayan, Borbora was imprisoned several times during the freedom movement and later during the Emergency, when he served 18 months in Tihar Jail.

He was born in Golaghat and after his early schooling in Tinsukia district, left for Calcutta University to pursue his higher education.

Influenced by the freedom struggle and the socialist revolution of the period, Borbora abandoned his studies and returned to Assam in 1947.

After his release from Tihar Jail, Borbora became the state unit president of the newly constituted Janata Party. He led the party to victory with 53 seats and was unanimously elected the first non-Congress chief minister in the state in 1978. He resigned as chief minister on September 4, 1979.

Borbora spent his last years away from active politics.

He was an office-bearer of the North East Frontier Railway Employees’ Union and other labour organisations. Borbora was also associated with several social and educational institutions.