Maheshwar Mohanty, a senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and former Speaker, died on Tuesday at 3:25 a.m. while receiving treatment in a private hospital in Bhubaneswar.
He was 67.
Mohanty was under treatment for a week after he suffered a brain stroke on October 31. The senior Biju Janata Dal leader had got back home after attending several programmes in Puri when he complained of uneasiness and started trembling.
Mohanty was initially admitted to the neurology department but was transferred to the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) as his health worsened.
Mohanty’s son announced to the media early Tuesday morning that his father had passed away.
Mohanty, who was born on February 26, 1956, served as the BJD MLA for the Puri Assembly district from 2000 until 2014. He was first elected to the Odisha Assembly on a Janata Dal ticket in 1995.
From 2004 until 2008, Maheswar Mohanty was the Speaker of the Odisha Assembly. In addition, he held numerous positions in the government of Naveen Patnaik. Mohanty, a lawyer by trade, earned his LLB from Utkal University and his MA in Political Science from Banaras Hindu University (BHU).
Today evening, Mohanty’s final rituals will be performed at the Swarga Dwar cremation in Puri.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik condoled the death of the former Speaker Maheswar Mohanty. The former speaker of the Odisha State Assembly Maheshwar Mohanty passed away on Tuesday at 3:25 am in Bhubaneswar.
“In a message, Maheshwar Mohanty earned a reputation as a popular leader. He had a reputation as a skilled organizer”, said a release from the office of the CM of Odisha.
“He played an important role in the development of the state as a minister and MLA. His role in the development of Puri region in particular will immortalize him”, further read the press release.