Former Rajya Sabha MP Pyari Mohan Mohapatra passes away; CM Patnaik mourns death

Pyari Mohan Mohapatra passed away at the age of 77.

Former Rajya Sabha MP and president of Odisha Janamorcha party Pyari Mohan Mohapatra passed away on Sunday in Mumbai after a prolonged illness.

Pyarimohan Mohapatra was a former Rajya Sabha MP and was called the ‘Chankya of Odisha politics’. (HT Photo)

He was 77.

Mohapatra, who was also called ‘Chankya of Odisha politics’, passed away at 9.48 pm at Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai.

Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik has mourned the death of the former MP, who was regarded as Patnaik’s chief strategist and mentor.

The former IAS officer of 1963 batch played a key role in deciding the shape and contours of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) after the regional party was formed in 1997.

Mohapatra was the Principal Secretary to the chief minister when Biju Patnaik occupied the top post.