edited by: Oindrila Mukherjee
Last Update: January 30, 2023, 00:07 AM IST
Odisha Health Minister Naba Kishore Das was shot dead by a policeman on Sunday near Brajrajnagar in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district. (Image: PTI)
Naba Kishore Das, formerly associated with the Congress, joined the BJD just before the 2019 assembly elections and became an MLA for the third consecutive time. As Health Minister he successfully dealt with the Covid pandemic in 2020 and 2021
Odisha Health Minister Naba Kishore Das, who died of multiple bullet injuries on Sunday, was a strongman leader and three-time MLA from the western part of the state. The minister, who was considered the richest in the state cabinet, had a fondness for luxury cars and owned 40 of them.
Condoling his untimely demise, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the Biju Janata Dal leader was an asset to the government and his party. The minister was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar when a policeman opened fire on him when he reached Brajrajnagar in Jharsuguda for a program early in the morning. The assistant sub-inspector, identified as Gopal Das, was caught by the local residents and handed over to the police.
Naba Kishore, who was earlier associated with the Congress, joined the BJD just before the 2019 assembly elections and became an MLA for the third consecutive time. He was later given the charge of the Health and Family Welfare Department and as Health Minister, he successfully dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic in the state in 2020 and 2021. Impressed by his performance as Health Minister.
He was active in state politics and was an influential leader. When he contested the Jharsuguda assembly seat for the first time in 2004 on a Congress ticket, he had to face defeat. But in 2009, he was once again elected MLA by contesting on a Congress ticket. In 2014, he again contested on Congress ticket and became MLA for the second time.
Projecting himself as a frontline leader of the Congress, he was already the acting president of the party’s state unit. But, in 2019, he left Congress and joined BJD and once again won for the third time.
Born on January 7, 1962, Naba Kishore completed his matriculation from Sambalpur Bhojpur High School in 1978, and then graduated with a degree in English in 1989 as well as law in 1994. in the 1980s.
An industrialist and businessman, the minister had a flourishing hotel and transport business. Recently, he was in news after offering prayers at the Shani temple in Shingnapur, Maharashtra, where he donated around 1 crore gold urns.
Patnaik, who expressed deep shock and grief over the minister’s death, said Naba Kishore had played a key role in strengthening the BJD and was a grassroots leader. He further added that the doctors made every possible effort to save him but unfortunately he could not recover from the fatal injuries.
“As a leader, he was instrumental in strengthening the Biju Janata Dal; He was a grassroots leader, and was loved and respected by all. He broke party lines and classes of people. Patnaik said his demise was a great loss to the state of Odisha, adding that the minister was an asset to the state government and his party.
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