Bhubaneswar: Governing Biju Janata Dal(BJD) Veteran V Sugnana Kumari Deo is non more.
Shrimati Deo, who belonged to the Royal Family of Khallikote, passed away while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Chennai on 10 February. She was 87.
She breathed her last at the hospital at 12.44 AM, said family sources.
Shrimati Deo was first elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly in 1963 and has won a total of 10 times in her longest political career from Khallikote and Kabisuryanagar assembly segments.
She has a special identity and honour as the ‘Queen of Khallikote’. She won 8 times from Khallikote and 2 times from Kabisuryanagar assembly seats.
When Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik learnt about her illness he rushed to the hospital in Chennai and inquired about her health condition on Friday evening.
Shrimati Deo had a strong personality and in political arena she was highly respected.
Born in Chennai in 5 August, 1937, was elected as MLA in 1963, 1974, 1977, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2004, 2009 and 2014.
Shrimati Deo was first elected to the State Legislative Assembly in 1963 on Congress ticket. She won the election and became MLA again from 1974-1977 as an Utkal Congress leader. She became the MLA of Khallikote for the third time from 1977-1980 with ticket from Janata Dal.
She became a member of the Legislative Assembly for the fourth time with the same party from 1985-1990. Shrimati Deo was elected from Khallikote for the fifth time in 1990-95. She also won the subsequent election from Janta Dal in 1995-2000.
Shrimati Deo was elected from Khallikote on BJD ticket in 2000, 2004 and as the assembly segment was reorganized, she was elected for two terms from 2009-2014 and 2014-2019 from Kabisuryanagar on BJD ticket.
Shrimati Deo was also the Member of a number of committees of Odisha Legislative Assembly. Though she was a 10 times MLA, she never agreed to become Minister.
Condolences poured in from all quarters following the demise of Shrimati Deo, one of the longest serving Lawmaker of Odisha.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, BJD Veteran A U Singh Deo, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Finance Minister Bikram Kesari Arukha, Urban Development Minister Usha Devi,BJP President Man Mohan Samal, Opposition Leader Jai Narayan Mishra, BJP Vice President Baijayant Panda and other condoled her demise.
