BHUBANESWAR: Former minister and prominent Odia political figure Ram Krushna Patnaik passed away on Friday morning, December 24, 2021. The veteran politician was unwell for some time and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital here. He was 81.
A six-time legislator from the Kodala Assembly constituency in Ganjam district, Patnaik had handled several important portfolios as a minister, including finance, rural development and agriculture.
He was the Leader of Opposition in Odisha Legislative Assembly from February 22, 1998, to November 11, 1998.
The senior leader served as a minister in the ministry of both Biju Patnaik and Naveen Patnaik. He was minister for finance, rural development and agriculture in Biju Patnaik’s ministry from 1990 to 1995. He joined the Naveen Patnaik ministry in 2000 and served in finance, agriculture, and planning and coordination till he fell out with the leadership and quit BJD.
In 2002, he quit the BJD following differences with party president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and joined the Congress. Popularly known as “Ganjam Tiger”, Patnaik and his wife quit the grand old party in the run-up to the 2014 elections and joined the BJP. Patnaik, his wife and daughter Anita had joined the BJP in March 2014. His wife was also a former MP from Aska.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, BJP national vice president Baijayant Panda, president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee Niranjan Patnaik and leaders cutting across party lines condoled his death.