Senior BJD leader and sitting MLA of Nuapada, Rajendra Dholakia, passed away on Monday morning at 11:30 AM while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Chennai.
He had recently undergone a heart transplant and was scheduled for a kidney transplant when his health deteriorated.
Dholakia had been battling illness for several months and was admitted to MGM Hospital in Chennai for advanced treatment. His sudden demise has cast a shadow of grief across Nuapada district and the broader political community of Odisha.
The news of his passing has prompted an outpouring of condolences from intellectuals, social organizations, and political leaders across the state. Dholakia was first elected as an independent MLA in 2004 and later joined the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), where he became a prominent voice for tribal and rural development.
Sources indicate that his mortal remains will be flown to Bhubaneswar on Tuesday and taken to the Odisha Legislative Assembly for public homage.
