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Bhubaneswar: The senior leader of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and former Odisha Assembly Speaker, Maheswar Mohanty, passed away at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday. Maheswar Mohanty, who had also served as a former minister, was 67 years old and is survived by his wife and two sons.
Mr. Mohanty had been admitted to the hospital on November 1 after suffering a cerebral stroke and tragically succumbed to his condition at 3:25 am on Tuesday, according to hospital sources.
Over the course of his political career, Maheswar Mohanty had been elected to the Odisha Assembly from the Puri constituency a total of five times. He successfully contested assembly elections as a Janata Dal candidate in 1995 and subsequently as a BJD nominee in 2000, 2004, 2009, and 2014.
Born on February 26, 1956, Maheswar Mohanty had also contributed to the Naveen Patnaik government as a cabinet minister. During his tenure, he held various key portfolios, including Panchayati Raj, Revenue, Law, and Tourism departments, serving between 2011 and 2019.
Expressing his condolences, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik described Maheswar Mohanty as a “popular leader with high organizational skills.” Mr. Patnaik further highlighted his significant role in the development of Puri as both an MLA and minister.
