Odisha CM, Union Ministers condole demise of Pipili bypoll candidate

Bhubaneswar: Following untimely demise of Pipili bypoll candidate Ajit Mangaraj, the leaders cutting across the party line expressed their condolences on passing of the Congress leader.

“I am saddened to hear about death of Congress candidate Ajit Magaraj, who was contesting the bypoll to Pipili Assembly Constituency. My condolence is with bereaved family of the leader,” said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

ପିପିଲି ବିଧାନସଭା ଉପ-ନିର୍ବାଚନରେ ପ୍ରତିଦ୍ୱନ୍ଦିତା କରୁଥିବା କଂଗ୍ରେସ ପ୍ରାର୍ଥୀ ଅଜିତ ମଙ୍ଗରାଜଙ୍କ ଦେହାନ୍ତ ବିଷୟରେ ଜାଣି ମୁଁ ଦୁଃଖିତ। ଏପରି ଦୁଃଖଦ ସମୟରେ ଶୋକସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ପରିବାରବର୍ଗଙ୍କୁ ମୋର ସମବେଦନା ଜଣାଇବା ସହ ତାଙ୍କ ଅମର ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦଗତି କାମନା କରୁଛି।

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) April 14, 2021

Governor Professor Ganeshi Lal also condoled the death of Ajit Mangaraj.

ବରିଷ୍ଠ କଂଗ୍ରେସ ନେତା ତଥା ପିପିଲି ବିଧାନସଭା ଉପନିର୍ବାଚନ ପ୍ରାର୍ଥୀ ଅଜିତ ମଙ୍ଗରାଜଙ୍କ ଦେହାନ୍ତରେ ମାନ୍ୟବର ରାଜ୍ୟପାଳ ଗଭୀର ଶୋକ ପ୍ରକାଶ କରିବା ସହ ତାଙ୍କ ପରିବାରବର୍ଗଙ୍କୁ ସମବେଦନା ଜଣାଇଛନ୍ତି।
ଓଁ ଶାନ୍ତି 🙏🙏

— Governor Odisha (@GovernorOdisha) April 14, 2021

“Ajit Mangaraj was a close aide to me and a man of positivity by nature. It was unbelievable that he is not with us,” said Union Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who visited the hospital soon after the news broke in media.

Union MSME Minister Pratap Chandra Sarangi also expressed his grief over departure of senior Congress leader. He expressed his condolence to family and relatives of the departed soul.

Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi expressed her sorrow over death of Mangaraj.

The passing away of Sri Ajit Mangaraj, the Congress Candidate in Pipli Assembly election, is a matter of profound grief for all of us. May God give necessary strength to his family to bear this irreparable loss. My heartfelt condolences and prayers. @BJP4Odisha @BJP4India

— Aparajita Sarangi, Member of Parliament (@AprajitaSarangi) April 14, 2021

Saddened by sudden demise of Mangaraj ahead of bypoll to Pipili Assembly Constituency, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee Niranjan Patnaik said, “Ajit Mangaraj was a hard working and was popular among the mass in Pipili as the strong organiser. He contracted the COVID infection during election campaign.”

Remembering Mangaraj’s contribution to Congress, senior partyman Santosh Singh Saluja said, “He (Ajit Mangaraj) had accompanied me during campaign for Balasore bypoll. I am saddened by his death. It was a bad luck for Congress.”

His condition was stated to be critical. However, the doctors were assuring that the leader will recover and will be discharged very soon. An hour before his death, I was campaigning for him in Pipili. It’s very sad to hear that he is no more, said Congress leader and former parliamentarian Pradeep Majhi.

The 52-year Ajit Mangaraj was battling for life at a private hospital after he tested positive for COVID-19 last week.

Mangaraj was admitted to the Apollo Hospital on April 7  after being diagnosed with severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

The patient was under treatment of a multidisciplinary team of doctors from specialities including Critical Care, Cardiology and Pulmonary Medicine in  COVID ICU where all necessary life saving support including Non invasive ventilation was extended to save the life of the patient. However after bravely battling the severe COVID infection for past 8 Days, Mangaraj succumbed to the disease at around 4.00 PM on April 14, the Apollo Hospital said in a statement.