BHUBANESWAR:Describing veteran Congress leader J B Patnaik as an extremely successful chief minister and a writer of immense finesse, Odisha Governor S C Jamir said that in his demise the State has lost a visionary and the nation one of her worthy sons.
Condoling the death of the three-time chief minister, the Governor said the relationship between him and JB, which began on a political note in the early seventies, soon turned into a personal bond that had continued till Monday. JB left an indelible mark in a number of fields, Jamir added.
Expressing deep condolence, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, “I am deeply distressed at the sad demise of former chief minister, veteran politician and great literary figure JB Patnaik.” His death marks the end of an era in Odisha politics, Naveen said.
Highlighting JB’s profound knowledge in a range of subjects like art, culture, tradition and literature, Naveen said the veteran politician was also a scholar and acclaimed journalist.
As Union minister and chief minister, JB immensely contributed to the development of the State, Naveen said. “During his tenure as the Governor of Assam, JB played a key role in strengthening cultural ties between Odisha and Assam,” he added.
Excise Minister Damodar Rout, Agriculture Minister Pradip Maharathi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh, Ministers of State Arun Sahu, Sanjay Dasburma, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, BJD MPs AU Singhdeo and Bhupinder Singh, president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Prasad Harichandan, former OPCC presidents Sarat Patnaik, Niranjan Patnaik and Jaydev Jena, Leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra, State unit president of BJP KV Singhdeo, party MLA Dilip Ray, senior BJP leader Bijay Mohapatra and leaders cutting across party lines condoled JB’s death.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi also condoled the death of JB. Stating that JB remained a Congressman till the end, Sonia said , “His absence will be felt in the years to come,” she said. Rahul Gandhi said the veteran leader served the people of the country with dedication.
Similarly, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also condoled JB’s death. “Saddened to hear JB Patnaik passed away. I knew him well. In my early career, whenever I visited Odisha, he was generous with his time”, Banerjee posted on micro-blogging site Twitter.