Balasore: Former Balasore MP Kartikeswar Patra passed away Monday night. He was 79.
He was also elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly from Bhograi seat thrice.
Sources said, Patra had taken ill some days back. Later, he tested positive for COVID-19. He complained of severe illness and breathing problem Monday evening. Family members were shifting Patra to a Bhubaneswar based hospital in an ambulance when he breathed his last on the way at about 11.40pm.
While he was elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly in 1971, 1974 and 1980, he also contested the 1991 Lok Sabha elections successfully from Balasore constituency as a Congress candidate.
District level party leaders and workers queued up at Patra’s residence to pay their last tribute to the departed leader.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also expressed his deep sorrow at the demise of the veteran politician and expressed his condolence to the family.
Notably, seven-time Pipili MLA Pradeep Maharathy had also died due to COVID-19 October 4.
PNN