Former BJP MLA Sanchita Mohanty dies

Kendrapada: Former BJP MLA Sanchita Mohanty of Jajpur district died on Friday at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar. She was 67. Mohanty had been unwell for over a year and was undergoing treatment.She was elected from the Korei assembly constituency in 2004, defeating veteran Janata Dal leader Ashok Das. Born on Sept 17, 1958, she held a post graduate degree in political science and in Odissi dance and later pursued law at Utkal University.A noted women’s leader in Jajpur, Mohanty had been active for more than three decades, championing the rights of women, Dalits and farmers.Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, assembly speaker Surama Padhy, Jajpur MP Rabindra Narayan Behera, law and works minister Prithviraj Harichandan and several other leaders visited her residence in Bhubaneswar to pay their last respects.“Her death comes as a shock. Women have lost a rare champion of their causes,” said Kalpana Mallick, member of the State Women’s Commission.BJP leader and Korei MLA Akash Das Nayak said, “In the women’s movement, Mohanty carved a niche for herself through her deep understanding of issues affecting women. As a leader, she left an indelible mark with her work. She was simple, honest and calm. She undertook many development initiatives in Korei during her tenure from 2004 to 2009.”