Bhubaneswar, March 10: Union Minister of Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday expressed deep grief over the demise of senior BJD leader and former MLA from Odisha,V Sugnana Kumari Deo.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Union Minister Pradhan, who also hails from Odisha, said, "I am saddened to hear the demise of eminent politician, former MLA and queen of Khallikote V Sugnana Kumari Deo. She was well known in the public mind of Odisha as a leader for a long time. Odisha lost an outspoken politician in her passing away. Her public service work as a public representative in state politics will always be remembered. I express my condolences to the bereaved family. May the departed soul rest in peace! Om Shanti."

ବିଶିଷ୍ଟ ରାଜନୀତିଜ୍ଞ, ପୂର୍ବତନ ବିଧାୟିକା ତଥା ଖଲ୍ଲିକୋଟର ରାଣୀ ଭି. ସୁଜ୍ଞାନ କୁମାରୀ ଦେଓଙ୍କ ବିୟୋଗ ଖବର ଶୁଣି ମୁଁ ଦୁଃଖିତ ଓ ମର୍ମାହତ । ଦୀର୍ଘ ସମୟ ଧରି ବିଧାୟିକା ଭାବେ ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ଜନମାନସରେ ସେ ସୁପରିଚିତ ଥିଲେ । ତାଙ୍କ ବିୟୋଗରେ ଓଡ଼ିଶା ଜଣେ ସ୍ପଷ୍ଟବାଦୀ ରାଜନେତ୍ରୀଙ୍କୁ ହରାଇଲା । ରାଜ୍ୟ ରାଜନୀତି ଜଗତରେ ଜନପ୍ରତିନିଧି ଭାବେ…
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) February 10, 2024

Deo, a 10-time MLA from Khallikote and Kabisuryanagar Assembly constituencies in Ganjam district, passed away at a private hospital in Chennai on Saturday. She was 87.

She belonged to the royal family of Khallikote.

Deo entered into politics in the 1960s and became MLA from Khallikote Assembly constituency in 1961 on an Indian National Congress ticket. Later she was elected from the same constituency in a Utkal Congress ticket in 1974, Janata ticket in 1977, Janata Party in 1985, Janata Dal in 1990 and 1995 and in BJD ticket between 2000 and 2019.

She was MLA from Khallikote Assembly constituency for eight times and the remaining two terms from Kabisuryanagar Assembly constituency.

Political leaders across party lines condoled the death of Deo. Odisha Governor Raghubar Das, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, MLAs and MPs, senior political leaders and eminent personalities condoled the demise of the former MLA.

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