Orissa Excise Minister resigns

Bhubaneswar, Apr 25 (UNI) Orissa Excise Minister Kalandi Behera today resigned from his post in the wake of series of liquor tragedy claiming 38 lives in Ganjam district during the past one month.

Mr Behera, a senior Cabinet Minister in the Naveen Patnaik government, was severely criticised by the Opposition for his role in the hooch tragedies in the district.

The Opposition had stalled the budget session of the Assembly for several days demanding his resignation, holding him responsible for the March 19 hooch tragedy which claimed 25 lives in Ganjam district.

He came under fire when eleven people were killed in another hooch tragedy at Golabandha village in Ganjam district on April 23 last.

Mr Behera who also held the Schedued Tribe and Scheduled Caste Development, Minorities and Backward Class Welfare portfolio besides the Excise, met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at his secretariat office chamber and tendered his resignation paper.

The Chief Minister, official sources said, had accepted his resignation paper.

UNI DP KK/SRC1630