BHUBANESWAR: Prasanna Pattnaik, the first BJP MLA in Odisha, passed away at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar on Friday.
The 76-year-old leader was suffering from prolonged illness and admitted to the hospital on Thursday after his condition deteriorated. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.
A three-time MLA from Dhenkanal’s Kamakhyanagar constituency, Pattnaik was first elected to the Assembly in 1977 on a Janata Party ticket. However, after the Janata party experiment failed, he joined the BJP. He contested the 1985 elections on a BJP ticket and won for the second time. His victory was historic as BJP did not have a strong base in the state at the time.
He, however, joined the Janata Dal subsequently and won the 1990 Assembly polls from Kamakhyanagar. Pattnaik returned to the BJP in 2014 and remained a dedicated member until his demise.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi condoled his demise and said in a post on X, “I am deeply saddened and shocked by the passing away of Shri Prasanna Patnaik, a hardworking leader of Odisha politics and the first BJP MLA from Odisha. His contribution in the fields of education, social service and politics, and his immense contribution in strengthening the organization of our party will always be remembered. His passing away is an irreparable loss to the state.”
Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik said that his work for the poor will be remembered for a long time. BJP state president Manmohan Samal, along with several ministers and leaders from across party lines, paid tribute to the veteran leader.
Pattnaik’s mortal remains were brought to the BJP state headquarters, where many leaders gathered to offer their final respects.