Bhubaneswar, Oct 6 (UNI) Veteran Congress leader and former MP Kartikeswar Patra passed away on Monday night while being shifted to a hospital here for the treatment of COVID-19. He was 81.
Family sources said Patra was in home isolation after he tested Covid positive. His health condition worsened yesterday and he died while being taken to a hospital in Bhubaneswar last night.
Born in Sundavadi village in Bhograi block of Balasore district on May 25,1941, he was elected to Odisha Legislative Assembly from Bhograi Assembly constituency on Congress ticket in 1971, 1974 and 1980 and from Balasore Lok Sabha seat in 1991.
Apart from his political career, Mr. Patra has authored several books which include among others Sipahi, Podagads, Subarna Samuks, Samrat Kharvela, Narkara Nam Amaravati, Karubaki, itihasara Chhai, Kalinga Kanya and Utkalara Nou Baniya.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik condoled the demise of the former Balasore MP and expressed his sympathies to the bereaved family members and prayed for the salvation of his soul.
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee President Niranjan Patnaik also condoled the death of former Congress leader.
"With his death, the Congress lost a good organizer", the Odisha Congress chief said and described his demise as an irreparable loss to Odisha Politics.
UNI BD DP AND JAL 1424