Veteran Politician and Odisha Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik was discharged from Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital today. Patnaik underwent a medical procedure for cervical arthritis on June 22 On Jun 25, he was shifted from ICU and has recovered well sincer then. As his health condition is now quite stable, the former Odisha Chief Minister got discharged today and is likely to return to the State soon.
Renowned cardiac surgeon Dr. Ramakant Panda, who is also Patnaik’s personal physician, is coordinated the treatment in Mumbai. Patnaik served as the second longest for a chief minister of any Indian state, after Pawan Kumar Chamling of Sikkim. He is the founder & first president of the Biju Janata Dal since 1997.He served as the Union Minister of Steel and Mines from 1998 to 2000 and a member of the Lok Sabha from Aska from 1997 to 2000.
The Biju Janata Dal was voted out of power in the 2024 Odisha Legislative Assembly election as the party managed to win 51 seats in Legislative Assembly of Odisha, thus ending Patnaik's 24-year rule in Odisha. Patnaik was himself defeated in Kantabanji constituency by 16,344 votes, marking his first electoral defeat. However, he did win the Hinjili seat with a reduced margin compared to previous elections. In the general elections as well, the BJD failed to win any of the seats it contested.