Lulu Mohapatra's cortege draws sea of mourners

BHUBANESWAR: A

sea of mourners

descended on the roads between Biju Patnaik

international airport

and AG Square to pay their last tributes to Congress strongman

Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra

(Lulu), who died following a prolonged illness in a private hospital at Gurugram on Sunday night.

Body of the 52-year-old firebrand leader and three-time former MLA was flown to Bhubaneswar airport on Monday and taken in a tearful cortege to his residence near AG Square. He will be cremated at his native Gada Rodanga village near Brahmagiri in Puri district on Tuesday. Politicians cutting across party lines visited his house near AG Square here and paid their last respects. "On Tuesday morning, we will take his body in a procession to Congress Bhawan, Odisha Assembly and his native," said a close family member.

Shedding tears and chanting "Lulu bhai amar rahe", Lulu's supporters took his body in a decorated vehicle from airport to his residence, passing through busy Sishu Bhawan Square, Raj Mahal Square and AG Square both sides of which were packed with Lulu supporters.

A pall of gloom also hung over his village and Brahmagiri constituency, which was represented by Lulu from 1995 till 2009. "Lulu bhai was the lone face of Congress in Brahmagiri. We do not know about the fate of the party after his sudden demise. His death is a huge loss," said Biswambar Samantaray, a known Congress leader in Brahmagiri and close aide of Lulu.

At Congress Bhawan here, almost all leaders of the opposition party held a condolence meeting and recollected their memories with Lulu. "In April last year, we lost our stalwart JB Patnaik. Lulu babu was equally a tall leader, a great organizer and an asset for Congress. We will feel his absence forever," Congress state president Prasad Harichandan said.

A graduate in history and political science from BJB College, Lulu raised the ladder from student politics. He enjoyed the support of youth and student Congress cadres throughout his political career, which was considered his biggest political asset till his death. Lulu was extremely critical of Naveen Patnaik government regime, especially his arch-rival and Minister Sanjay Das Burma.