BHUBANESWAR: Former Union Minister Arjun Charan Sethi passed away at a private hospital here on Monday evening. He was 79. An eight-time Parliamentarian from Bhadrak, Sethi was Water Resources Minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayee Cabinet from 2000 to 2004. He entered Lok Sabha from Bhadrak on a Congress ticket in 1971 and re-elected in 1980, also on a Congress ticket.
Sethi later joined Janata Dal and was elected from Bhadrak Lok Sabha segment in 1991. He was elected to Lok Sabha from Bhadrak for five consecutive times from 1998 to 2014 on BJD ticket. He joined the BJP before 2019 Lok Sabha, but did not contest elections.
The veteran politician was also elected to Odisha Assembly twice on Janata Dal ticket in 1991 and 1995 from Bhandaripokhari.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed deep grief at Sethi’s passing away. Describing him as an able administrator, Naveen said during his long stint in public life, Sethi had earned the goodwill of people for his dedicated service. Odisha has lost a political leader of high stature, he said.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan condoled Sethi’s death and said his loss cannot be filled up. National BJP vice-president Baijayant Panda, State unit BJP president Sameer Mohanty and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Pradipta Naik also condoled his death.