Senior BJD MLA Pradeep Maharathy dies at 65

BHUBANESWAR: Senior BJD MLA Pradeep Maharathy died at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar on Sunday, family sources said. He was 65.
Maharathy, a seven-time legislator from Pipli and former minister, had tested positive for Covid-19 on September 14. His condition had worsened in past some days due to comorbid conditions and he was put on ventilator support.
Government sources said efforts were made to airlift Maharathy to a hospital in Gurugram on Saturday. However, the same was ruled out after discussions with doctors.
A grassroots leader, Maharathy had earlier held important portfolios such as agriculture and panchayatiraj, in Naveen Patnaik’s cabinet.
Beginning his political career as a student leader, Maharathy was arrested under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during emergency in 1975 when he was secretary of Government Morning College, Puri. He was elected president of SCS College Puri in 1977.
Maharathy was first elected MLA in 1985 and then in 1990 on Janata Dal tickets. From 2000, when BJD fought its first assembly election, he got elected all the five times (2000, 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019).
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