Keonjhar: Former Rural Development Minister of Odisha and five-time Champua MLA Saharai Oram passed away following prolonged illness at his residence at Bhadrasahi under Joda block in Keonjhar district on Friday . He was 78.
The former Minister was suffering from paralysis and bedridden for the last five years, family sources said. Oram is survived by his wife Santilata Oram, son and daughter in law.
Born on August 1942 in Naranpur village under Aseinkala Panchayat in Joda area of Keonjhar district, Oram joined politics at very young age. Inspired by the legendary leader and former Odisha CM Biju Patnaik, Oram joined and Utkal Congress and remained the trusted warrior of Biju babu. He played key role to strengthen the Janata Dal in Keonjhar area.
Oram was elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly from Champua constituency in 1971 as Utkal Congress candidate, in 1977 as Janata Party candidate, 1980 as Janata-S candidate, 1990 as Janata Dal candidate and in 2000 as an independent candidate.
During the Biju Patnaik government (1990-95) in Odisha, Oram served as the Rural Development Minister and Water Resources Minister.
In a tweet, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed his grief on the sad demise of former Minister Saharai Oram.
Naveen Patnaik✔@Naveen_Odisha
ବରିଷ୍ଠ ରାଜନେତା ତଥା ପୂର୍ବତନ ମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ସହରାଇ ଓରାମଙ୍କ ଦେହାନ୍ତ ବିଷୟରେ ଜାଣି ମୁଁ ଦୁଃଖିତ। ଚମ୍ପୁଆ ଆସନରୁ ୫ଥର ବିଧାୟକ ଏବଂ ବିଜୁବାବୁଙ୍କ ସରକାରରେ ମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ଭାବେ ଲୋକଙ୍କ ସେବା ପାଇଁ ସେ କରିଥିବା କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ସର୍ବଦା ସ୍ମରଣୀୟ ରହିବ। ତାଙ୍କ ଅମର ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦଗତି କାମନା ସହ ଶୋକସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ପରିବାରବର୍ଗଙ୍କୁ ମୋର ସମବେଦନା ଜଣାଉଛି।
Prasanta Patnaik