SAMBALPUR: Congress leader and former minister, Ripunath Seth passed away at the age of 64, after suffering a cardiac arrest at his native place in Barpali in Bargarh district on Sunday.
In the morning, he complained of chest pain and was rushed to a private hospital but later he was shifted to the Barpali community health centre (CHC), where he passed away.
Seth served as the School & Mass Education Minister, Energy Minister and Sports Minister during the Congress Government in Odisha from 1995 to 2000.
While he was elected to the Odisha Assembly from Bijepur constituency in 1995, had also contested from Bhatli constituency in 2004 but he was defeated by a low margin. Later, in 2019 he had unsuccessfully contested from the Bijepur Assembly Constituency against Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.