Bhubaneswar: BJD Supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today paid floral tribute to mortal remains of his party leader and former Assembly Speaker Suryanarayan Patro.
Shri Patnaik paid floral tribute to the departed senior BJD MLA here at his residence this morning. He expressed his condolences on Shri Patro’s demise and expressed his sympathy to the bereaved family members.
“He as the Speaker of the Assembly had all along maintained the dignity of the House and followed democratic norms. A great void is created in the state politics with the demise of Patro. He dedicated his life in the service of the people in Ganjam district. He will always be remembered by the people of Odisha,” Shri Patnaik said in a condolence message.
President Droupadi Murmu, Governor Ganeshi Lal, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and several leaders from BJD and other political parties paid condolences on the sad demise of the legislator.
The Governor said that Shri Patro will be remembered for his lifelong public service as a people’s representative.
“His passing away is an irreparable and a personal loss for me. May Mahaprabhu Jagannath grant him Sadgati,” Shri Pradhan said on twitter.
Senior Congress leader Suresh Routray said he served under the chief-ministership of both Biju Patnaik and his son Naveen Patnaik. Shri Patro will be remembered for his immense contribution for the development of the state, he said.
“I have known Patro babu since 1984 when I was the SP of Berhampur. We had a family relationship. His demise is an irreparable loss for the State. He was very simple and his behaviour was very sweet and soothing. He was a very popular leader. People of his constituency had a strong belief in him,” said former DGP Sanjeev Marik.
The mortal remains of Patro were taken to the Assembly, where guard of honour was given. The last rites of Patro were performed in his own constituency Digapahandi in Ganjam district.
The State Government has declared to provide state honour to the departed soul. The Government has asked Ganjam district collector and Berhampur SP to pay homage to the mortal remains of Shri Patro.