Bhubaneswar, Nov 7: Former Speaker of Odisha Legislative Assembly and senior BJD leader Maheswar Mohanty passed away today. He was 67.
As per reports, the former minister breathed his last at a private hospital in the Chandrasekharpur area of Bhubaneswar where he was admitted after he was diagnosed with a mild brain stroke last night.
It is worth mention that Mohanty was a five time MLA from Puri Assembly Constituency. He was first elected as a legislator in 1995 on Janta Dal ticket. Later, he won four consecutive times on Biju Janata Dal (BJD) ticket.
During his tenure, Mohanty held several portfolios in the Naveen Patnaik cabinet including Panchayati Raj, Revenue and Disaster Management, Law, Planning and Coordination, Tourism and Culture and Panchayati Raj. He also served as the Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly from 2004 to 2008.
On February 21, 2014 when Mohanty was the Revenue Minister of Odisha, some miscreants had opened fire at him near Amala club in Puri. He had sustained bullet injuries on his hand and shoulder.
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