Bhubaneswar: Senior leader of the Odisha unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Ashok Sahu passed away Thursday.
Sahu was a former IPS officer who died at his Pithapur residence in Cuttack following prolonged illness, family sources informed.
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Sahu was 68 years of age. Political leaders across party lines have condoled Sahu’s sad demise. He had contested as a party candidate from the saffron camp for Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat in 2009.
He was eager to contest from the same seat again when a bypoll was conducted October 15, 2014. However, he was denied a party ticket and the BJP had fielded former MP Rudra Madhab Rai in Kandhamal, who went on to lose the election.
Soon after the bypoll results were announced, Sahu had raised the question on social media as to why the ‘Modi Magic’ did not work in Odisha, saying that the party should introspect about it.
Following his statements on social media, Sahu who was then the BJP state unit’s vice-president, was suspended from the party on charge of indisciplinary activities.
PNN