Finance
Surjya Narayan Patro, a veteran BJD leader and seven-time MLA, died on Saturday evening at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar. He was 75.
Patro, who had been ill for some months, was admitted to the hospital that evening as his health deteriorated.
Patro, a former minister and former Speaker of the Odisha Assembly, was elected in the most recent election from the Digapahandi Assembly constituency. Patro was elected to the Assembly for the first time in 1990 from the Mohana constituency, and he went on to win seven consecutive elections as a legislator, four from Mohana and three from Digapahandi after the 2009 delimitation.
He was a powerful figure in Odisha politics, particularly in Ganjam, the state’s most populated district, where he served as a minister under both Biju Patnaik and his son Naveen Patnaik.
He served as a minister of state in the Biju Patnaik Cabinet for seven months during his first term as an MLA, from July 1990 to January 1991. He rejoined the Cabinet in 2002, two years after Naveen Patnaik took over as Chief Minister, and served as a Cabinet minister till 2014.
Patro was not given a ministerial position when Naveen took office for the fourth time in 2014, but he was appointed to the Cabinet in May 2017. Naveen got elected for the fifth time in 2019, Patro was made the Speaker of the Assembly, where he had served till June 2022.
Patro was one of the BJD’s longest-serving ministers, efficiently handling major ministries like as energy, tourism, revenue and disaster management, food supply, cooperation, and information and public relations. He also demonstrated his mettle as Speaker by instituting various reforms, such as the creation of a paperless Assembly.
Patro, a Berhampur native known affectionately as “Anna” among his supporters, has been involved in politics from his days as a student.
Patro, an advocate by profession, began his career in mainstream politics in 1977 when he was elected as a councillor in Berhampur municipality. Patro, a gourmand and a movie buff, had friends from all political parties, which aided him in effectively administering Assembly sessions whenever there was a stalemate.
Patro was highly engaged to the people in his district and rarely missed a social event. He liked to send out postcards to his supporters.
CM Naveen expressed his condolences on Patro’s death, describing him as a capable administrator and a powerful organizer. He praised Patro’s contributions as a minister and as Speaker.
Today, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik paid a visit to the Nayapalli residence of former Assembly Speaker and Digapahandi MLA Surjya Narayan Patro in the capital city. He expressed deep sorrow at Patro’s death and his condolences to the late leader’s grieving family members.
Patro’s son Biplab stated that the leader’s final rites will be performed at Digapahandi on Sunday at 3:00 p.m.
Meanwhile, the departed leader’s family members fulfilled Patro’s dying wish by donating his eyes. Within 10 minutes of his death on Saturday, a team of medics removed his eyes.
Source:IE
