The mortal remains of former Speaker of Odisha Legislative Assembly and Brajarajnagar MLA Kishore Mohanty were consigned to flames at ‘Muktidham’ near Jhadeswar in Jharsuguda district on Friday amid presence of leaders, dignitaries and hordes of followers.
The departed leader’s only son Durgesh lit the fire of the pyre after a guard of honour was given to Kishore by the district police.
Thereafter, his mortal remains was taken to the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) party office in Brajarajnagar where leaders, dignitaries and local public of his Assembly constituency made a bee line to pay their last respects to their leader. Back in the Jharsuguda and Belpahad, people observed a spontaneous bandh to bid adieu the leader. In Bhubaneswar, a condolence meeting was held at the BJD’s party office.
Notably, Kishore had died following cardiac arrest on Thursday. He was 63. During a condolence meeting, he complained of sickness and was immediately rushed to a private hospital in Jharsuguda where he breathed his last.
The veteran leader was first elected as MLA in 1990 and subsequently went on to script two more stints as a legislator in Odisha Assembly from Jharsuguda constituency. He also won as a MLA from Brajarajnagar Assembly seat in 2019 general elections.
“The news of Kishore Mohanty’s demise is unexpected and unbelievable. Long-time association with politics earns one a lot of enemies. But Kishore Mohanty was an exception," said senior BJD leader Prasanna Acharya.