Former Odisha MLA Akshay Acharya dies at 78

Balasore (Odisha), Jan 2 (PTI) Senior Congress leader and former MLA Akshay Kumar Acharya died here on Friday, family sources said.

He was 78.

Acharya is survived by his wife, three daughters and a son. He was suffering from cancer. He became serious on Thursday night and was taken to Nilgiri sub-divisional hospital. But when he did not respond to treatment, doctors referred him to Balasore district headquarters hospital and he died on the way, according to family sources.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Leader of Opposition and BJD president Naveen Patnaik, and Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das condoled the demise of Acharya.

"Deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former MLA Akshaya Acharya. I express my condolences to the bereaved family and pray to Lord Jagannath to give peace to his soul. Om Shanti," the chief minister said in a post on X.

Acharya was elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly from the Nilagiri Assembly constituency on the Indian National Congress ticket twice in 1980 and 1995.

He will be cremated at Nilgiri on Friday, said family sources. PTI COR AAM AAM RG