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{{Short description|Indian Politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2021}}

{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Bhrigu Phukan
| image =
| caption =
| office = [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|Member of Legislative Assembly]] [[Dispur (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Dispur constituency]]
| term_start = 1985
| term_end = 2001
| majority =
| predecessor = [[Shah Jalal Ali]]
| successor = [[Himanta Biswa Sarma]]
| constituency = [[Jalukbari (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Jalukbari]]
|birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1956|04|07}}
|birth_place = [[Sibsagar]], [[Assam]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2006|03|20|1956|04|07}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://zeenews.india.com/home/former-assam-home-minister-bhrigu-phukan-dies_282904.html|title=Former Assam Home Minister Bhrigu Phukan dies|work=India Today|accessdate=15 March 2021}}</ref>

| death_place = [[All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi]]
|occupation = Politician
| office1 = Home Minister of Assam
| term_start1 = 1985
| term_end1 = 1990
|spouse = Indira Phukan
|children = Upasa Phukan
|party = [[Asom Gana Parishad]] (1985-1991), (1994-1996), (2001-2006)
|otherparty = [[Natun Asom Gana Parishad]] (1991-1994) [[Nationalist Congress Party]]
|alma_mater = [[Dibrugarh University]] [[Gauhati University]]
|profession =
|nationality = Indian
|sibling =
|website =
}}

'''Bhrigu Phukan''' (7 April 1956 – 20 March 2006) was an Indian politician who was leader of [[Asom Gana Parishad]] and a cabinet minister in Government of Assam in the [[First Mahanta Ministry]]. He was one of the three signatories to the [[Assam Accord]].<ref>[http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/exstate-home-minister-assam-accord-signatory-bhrigu-phukan-dies-at-50/842/ Ex-state home minister, Assam Accord signatory Bhrigu Phukan dies at 50 - Indian Express]</ref> Phukan was born on 25 April 1956.<ref name="Phukan Reference1">{{cite news |title=Phukan: journey from grassroot to become charismatic leader |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newswire/story/phukan-journey-from-grassroot-to-become-charismatic-leader/371658 |access-date=20 February 2021 |publisher=Outlook |date=20 March 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19951130-rivalry-between-prafulla-kumar-mahanta-and-bhrigu-kumar-phukan-rocks-agp-807993-1995-11-30|title=Rivalry between Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and Bhrigu Kumar Phukan rocks AGP|work=India Today|accessdate=15 March 2021}}</ref>
He was elected for three consecutive terms from the prestigious [[Jalukbari (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Jalukbari constituency]] to the [[Assam Legislative Assembly]] from 1985.

== Early life ==

He was a graduate of [[Dibrugarh University]]. He also obtained Law Degree from [[Gauhati University]].<ref name="Phukan Reference1" /> He became closely involved in the students union movement during the university days that catapulted him to its leadership.<ref name="Phukan Reference1" /> He had been in the vanguard of the anti-foreigners agitation for six years during which period Assam was rocked by unprecedented blood-letting which left close to 900 people dead.<ref name="Phukan Reference1" />

== Political career ==

He was the general secretary of [[All Assam Students Union]] during 1979-85 and jointly spearheaded the Assam Movement<ref name="Phukan Reference1" /> with [[Prafulla Kumar Mahanta]] over the issue of [[Bangladesh]]i influx. He was one of the three signatories of the [[Assam Accord]] of 1985 along with [[Prafulla Kumar Mahanta]].<ref name="Phukan Reference1" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/20151221-india-today-40th-anniversary-the-rajiv-gandhi-years-shekhar-gupta-820977-2015-12-10|title=The Rajiv Gandhi years|work=India Today|accessdate=15 March 2021}}</ref>

In 1985 after the conclusion of the Assam movement with the signing of the historic Assam Accord, peace was restored in the state, and Phukan along with others founded the [[Asom Gana Parishad]].<ref name="Phukan Reference1" /> In December 1985, he became Home minister at the age of 29 after the [[Asom Gana Parishad]] won the historic Assembly elections under the Chief Ministership of Mahanta.<ref name="Phukan Reference1" /> Phukan later fell out with Mahanta and in February 1991 walked out of [[Asom Gana Parishad]] to form the [[Natun Asom Gana Parishad]].<ref name="Phukan Reference1" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19910715-congress-i-returns-to-power-after-six-years-814585-1991-07-15|title=Congress(I) returns to power after six years|work=India Today|accessdate=15 March 2021}}</ref>

The two factions united three years later and Phukan was appointed executive president of the Asom Gana Parishad. He quit the Asom Gana Parishad again in 1996 following differences with Mahanta and joined another political party.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/states/story/19980112-agp-faces-hurdle-over-prafulla-mahantas-successor-likelihood-of-split-in-the-party-825299-1998-01-12|title=AGP faces hurdle over Prafulla Mahanta's successor, likelihood of split in the party|work=India Today|accessdate=15 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/states/story/19980608-crisis-in-agp-ministry-dissidents-plan-to-mount-another-attack-after-assembly-by-polls-826627-1998-06-08|title=Crisis in AGP ministry: Dissidents plan to mount another attack after assembly by-polls|work=India Today|accessdate=15 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19960430-elections-1996-assam-seems-headed-for-a-hung-assembly-835101-1996-04-30|title=Assam seems headed for a hung assembly|work=India Today|accessdate=15 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19960531-elections-1996-agp-bounces-back-to-defeat-a-weak-congress-in-assam-832980-1996-05-31|title=AGP bounces back to defeat a weak Congress (I) in Assam|work=India Today|accessdate=15 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19950615-guwahati-municipal-corporation-polls-outcome-disappoints-congressi-and-agp-807436-1995-06-15|title=Guwahati Municipal Corporation polls' outcome disappoints Congress(I) and AGP|work=India Today|accessdate=15 March 2021}}</ref>

In 2001, Phukan lost as a [[Nationalist Congress Party]] candidate to [[Himanta Biswa Sarma]] of the Congress, a student leader whom he had earlier groomed and who joined BJP in 2015.

Phukan again returned to the Asom Gana Parishad in 2004 and contested the [[Lok Sabha]] (parliament) elections from [[Gauhati (Lok Sabha constituency)|Guwahati constituency]] but lost.

==Personal life ==

He died of multiple organ failure on 20 March 2006 in the [[All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi]] and is survived by his wife Indira and a daughter Upasa.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/bhrigu-phukan-dies-at-49/cid/971274|title=Bhrigu Phukan, R.I.P.|accessdate=15 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newswire/story/bhrigu-phukan-rip/371629|title=Bhrigu Phukan dies at 49|work=The Outlook|accessdate=15 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newswire/story/phukan-journey-from-grassroot-to-become-charismatic-leader/371658|title=Phukan: journey from grassroot to become charismatic leader|accessdate=15 March 2021}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Phukan, Bhrigu}}
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:2006 deaths]]
[[Category:Assam MLAs 1985–1991]]
[[Category:Assam MLAs 1991–1996]]
[[Category:Assam MLAs 1996–2001]]
[[Category:People from Sivasagar]]
[[Category:Asom Gana Parishad politicians]]
[[Category:Nationalist Congress Party politicians from Assam]]
[[Category:State cabinet ministers of Assam]]

Bhrigu Phukan - Revision history

WikiDwarf at 15:01, 15 April 2023