Senior BJP leader and former Korei MLA Sanchita Mohanty passed away in Bhubaneswar at 67. Leaders across parties paid tribute to her public service legacy
OdishaPlus Bureau
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Korei MLA Sanchita Mohanty passed away in Bhubaneswar , following a brief illness. She was 67. Mohanty had been diagnosed with cancer barely a week earlier.
She collapsed at her residence on the morning of December 26, a day after attending her grandson’s birthday celebration, and was rushed to a private hospital, where she was declared dead.
Born on September 17, 1958, to Rajendra Kumar Singh, Mohanty had a strong academic background. She held postgraduate degrees in political science and Odissi dance and had also studied law at Utkal University. Her husband, Gopinath Mohanty, a former bureaucrat, passed away in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mohanty was elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly from the Korei constituency in Jajpur district in the 2004 elections, serving as MLA from 2004 to 2009 in the 13th Assembly. During her tenure, she focused on local development initiatives and was known for her close engagement with constituents.
A key figure in the BJP’s early expansion in Jajpur district, Mohanty played an instrumental role in building the party’s grassroots organization in the early 2000s. Though she unsuccessfully contested from Korei in the 2009 and 2014 Assembly elections—finishing third on both occasions—she remained actively involved in party affairs. She continued to support BJP workers and leadership at the district level.
Despite not regaining the seat—finishing third in subsequent polls—she stayed influential in Jajpur BJP circles for decades. Tributes after her passing underscored her enduring legacy in organizational strengthening and public service.
Condolences poured in from across the political spectrum. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi paid floral tributes and described her as a committed public servant. Speaker Surama Padhy and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik also expressed grief over her demise. BJP leaders remembered her for her organizational skills, dedication, and lasting contribution to the party’s growth in the region.
