Former minister Kamala Das passes away

Bhubaneswar: Former Odisha minister and three-time Bhograi MLA Kamala Das died in a hospital in Cuttack early Friday. She was 79 years old. Das was admitted to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar two weeks ago after complaining of chest pain. His family said that during treatment he was diagnosed with a lung infection. Later, he was shifted to a hospital in Cuttack. Das was first elected as MLA from Bhograi seat in Balasore district in 1990 on Janata Dal ticket. She was re-elected as a BJD candidate in 1995 and again in 2000. She served as a minister in both the Biju Patnaik and Naveen Patnaik governments and held the portfolios of Education and Youth Services, Health and Family Welfare and Women and Child Development. In 2001, Das was removed from the post of minister. After this, she joined Congress. She returned to BJD in 2014.