Balasore: Senior Congress leader and former MP of Balasore Kartikeswar Patra passed away on Monday night. He was 81.
Family sources said that Patra was in home isolation at his residence in Bhogarai after he tested positive for COVID-19. While he was undergoing treatment, he suddenly fell ill on Monday. While he was being taken to the COVID hospital in Bhubaneswar, he died near Panikoili.
Patra is survived by wife Umarani and son Debasis.
Born in 1941 at Sundaradi village in Bhogarai block, Patra was elected to the State Assembly after winning from Bhogarai constituency in 1971 as a Congress candidate. Later, he contested from Balasore in 1974 and 1980 and won both the elections. In 1981, he won from Balasore Lok Sabha constituency.
However, Patra quit Congress after being deprived of the party ticket and joined the Trinamool Congress in 2014. However, he lost the Lok Sabha polls from Balasore and virtually retired from active politics.
Apart from being a successful leader, Patra was a well-known litterateur. He has authored more than 50 books some of which are Karubaki, Itihasara Chhai, Kalinga Kanya, Akashara Akhi, Subarna Samuka, Satabdira Shikara, Mamatara Moti, Bahaka Bahuda, Utkalara Noubanijya, Narkara Nama Amarabati and Samrat Kharavela.
