BHUBANESWAR: Former Odisha Chief Minister and prominent tribal Congress leader Hemananda Biswal died while undergoing treatment for pneumonia here at the age of 82 years Friday, family members said.
Biswal's daughter Sunita said the former chief minister breathed his last at a private hospital here. He was suffering from pneumonia and is survived by five daughters- Sabita, Sanjukya, Manjiulata, Sunita and Anita.
Biswal also represented Sundergarh Constituency in the Lok Sabha, and was a six-time MLA from Jharsuguda district, besides being the state's chief minister twice. He was elected chief minister for the first time for the period December 7,1989 to March 5, 1990 and again from December 6,1999 to March 5, 2000.
He was the first tribal chief minister of Odisha. He was elected to the Assembly for the first time in 1974 and continued till 1977. Later he become an MLA in 1980 and held the post till 2004 from Laikera Assembly segment.
Biswal started his career from panchayat politics after a brief stint as a school teacher in Jharsugudda district. Condolence poured in after the news broke.
OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik said Congress has lost a strong fighter and a protector of tribal interest.
Union Minister and senior BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan said: "Saddened to know about Biswal's demise. Odisha lost an efficient and experienced politician."
BJP MP Suresh Pujari said, Biswal's demise was a major loss for the state and western Odisha in particular.