BHUBANESWAR: Former Minister Jagannath Rout passed away at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar on Friday. He was 78. He was undergoing treatment at the hospital for age-related illness.
The former minister, who was elected thrice to the assembly from Dhamnagar assembly constituency won all the three assembly elections he contested on a Congress ticket in 1980, 1985 and 1995.
He held key portfolios in Congress ministries in the state when JB Patnaik was the Chief Minister.
Rout served the state as Industry Minister from 1989 to 90, Health and Family Minister from 1995 to 98 and Urban Development Minister during 1998-99.
Born in Narasinghapur Village under Dhusuri block in Bhadrak district, Rout was an influential politician of his time.
President of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Niranjan Patnaik expressed deep sorrow over Rout’s passing away and said that he was committed worker of the Congress.