Senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and former speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly Surya Narayan Patra passed away last night in Bhubaneswar. He was a Member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly from Digapahandi constituency in Ganjam district. He served as Minister for different departments in his long political career spanning more than three decades. He was elected as a member of the state legislative assembly seven times. He was a member of the state legislative assembly from the Mohana constituency four times and three times from the Digapahandi constituency.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and leaders across the state have deeply condoled the death of the senior BJD leader. His last rites will be performed in Digapahandi today.