Former Assembly Speaker of Odisha dies.
Surjya Narayan Patro, a former speaker of the Odisha Assembly, fell suddenly on Saturday night, just hours after being rushed in a serious condition to a private hospital in Bhubabeshwar. He was 74.
CM Naveen Patnaik expressed sorrow at Patro’s passing and praised him as a capable leader and organizer.
Patro, a seven-time Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA who left his position as Speaker in June 2017 owing to poor health, had not lost a BJD primary election since 1990.
In 1977, Patro, also known as Anna (older brother) in the Ganjam area, ran for a council position in the Berhampur Municipality.
In 1990, Patro was first elected to the Assembly from the Gajapati district’s Mohana segment. After Mohana was designated as an ST-reserved constituency, he relocated to Digaphandi and won on the Biju Janata Dal ticket.
In 1990, Patro worked as a minister in the cabinet of then-chief minister Biju Patnaik. In 2002, Patro served as a minister in the cabinet of current-chief minister Naveen Patnaik.
Fisheries, the development of animal resources, energy, research and technology, the environment, tourism, information technology, revenue and disaster management, information and public relations, food and civil supplies, and consumer welfare were among the ministerial responsibilities he held.
He had served three terms as the MLA for Digapahandi beginning in 2009.
Patro assumed the role of Speaker of the Odisha Assembly on June 1, 2019, and held it until June 4, 2022, when he stepped down.
CM Naveen Patnaik expressed sorrow at Patro’s passing and praised him as a capable leader and organizer.
Odisha’s Former Assembly Speaker Passed away….
