Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly was adjourned for a day on Sunday after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik moved a condolence motion following the death of former minister and BJD leader Pradeep Maharathy.
Expressing profound grief, the CM said Maharathy was elected from Pipili Assembly constituency for 7 times. He was the government deputy Chief Whip in 1990 and government Chief Whip in 2000. He was the Agriculture Minister from 2011 to 2012, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries & Animal Resources Development from 2014 to 2017 and Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment, Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water and Fisheries & Animal Resources Development from 2017 to 2019. His death is an irreparable loss to the state and the members of his family, the CM said.
The condolence motion was supported by the leader of Opposition Pradipta Kumar Naik and Speaker Surjya Narayana Patro.
Several MLAs and ministers including Debi Mishra, leader of the Congress Legislature Party Narasingha Mishra, Tara Prasad Bahinipati, Santosh Singh Saluja, Sura Routray, Samir Ranjan Dash and Mohan Charan Majhi spoke about Maharathy’s contributions to the state.
The Speaker adjourned the House for the day after the members observed a one-minute silence.
