Former Odisha CM Hemananda Biswal passes away

Bhubaneswar: Former Odisha Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader Hemananda Biswal passed away at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar while undergoing treatment on Friday, informed his daughter Sunita Biswal. He was 83.

Biswal was admitted to the hospital for old age-related ailments, earlier this month.

Born on December 1, 1939 at Thakurpada in Jharsuguda district, the veteran Congress leader was appointed as the Chief Minister of Odisha twice. He served as the Odisha CM from December 7, 1989 to March 5, 1990, and from December 6, 1999 to March 5, 2000.

Biswal has been the first tribal CM of Odisha. For the first time, he was elected as MLA in 1974. He was elected to the State Assembly as MLA six times. He was elected as an MP from Sundergarh in 2009.