Ramakrushna Pattnaik, the former Finance Minister of Odisha, died at the age of 81.

Ramakrushna Pattnaik, the former Finance Minister of Odisha, died at the age of 81.

Ramakrushna Pattnaik, the former Finance Minister of Odisha, died on Friday at his home in Bhubaneswar. Around 9.30 a.m., the 81-year-old senior leader died. His daughter Anita Subhadarshini said he had been sick for a few days.

Pattnaik, a six-term politician from Ganjam's Kodala Assembly constituency, has held various ministerial positions, including finance. From 1996 to 1997, he served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Odisha Legislative Assembly. 

From 1990 to 1995, the senior politician served in former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik's Cabinet before joining the Naveen Patnaik ministry in 2000.

He left the BJD and joined the Congress in 2002 after falling out with party president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Pattnaik and his wife, known as the "Ganjam Tiger," left the 'Hand' party in the run-up to the 2014 elections and joined the BJP. In March 2014, Pattnaik, his wife, and daughter Anita joined the BJP. His wife was also a former Aska Member of Parliament.