Former Odisha Finance Minister Ramakrushna Pattnaik died at his residence in Bhubaneswar on Friday. He was 81. Mr. Pattnaik died at 9.30 a.m. He was unwell for some days, his daughter Anita Subhadarshini said.
Condoling Pattnaik’s death, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik described him as an experienced politician and a good administrator.
“He was a devoted follower of Biju Patnaik and contributed a lot for the overall development of Ganjam district,” the Chief Minister said.
A six-time legislator from Kodala constituency in Ganjam district, Mr. Pattnaik handled important portfolios as a Minister, including finance. He was also the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly from 1996 to 1997.
Often referred to as the ‘Ganjam Tiger’, Mr. Pattnaik served as a Minister in the Cabinets of both Biju Patnaik and Naveen Patnaik. He was a Minister in the Biju Patnaik Cabinet from 1990-1995 and became the Finance Minister in Naveen Patnaik’s Cabinet in 2000.
Mr. Pattnaik quit BJD in 2002 over differences with Chief Minister and party president Naveen Patnaik to join the Congress.
He and his ex-MP wife quit the Congress and along with their daughter Anita, joined the BJP before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
