Bhubaneswar, Mar 18: Thousands of people, including BJP leaders and workers, participated in the funeral procession of former Union Minister Dr Debendra Pradhan that started from his residence at Chandrasekharpur and headed towards Puri this morning.

The mortal remains of former Union Minister Dr Debendra Pradhan will be consigned to flames at Swargadwara in Puri.

Chanting of Hari Naam, 'Ram Naam Satya Hey', 'Dr Debendra Pradhan Amar Rahe' reverberated throughout the procession amid beating of 'mridhanga' and 'gini'.

Dr Pradhan, who served the nation as a Union Minister and as a doctor and a social worker, passed away in Delhi yesterday at the age of 84. The body was brought to Bhubaneswar in the evening. A guard of honour was accorded to Dr Pradhan at the airport.

Leaders cutting across party lines, including Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, former Minister Bijay Mohapatra, former MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik visited Dr Pradhan's house at Chandrasekharpur and paid their last respects, placing wreaths on the body.

According to the information, people visited the Chandrasekharpur residence till late in the night and paid respects. The body was then taken to a grand procession to the BJP State office where BJP workers and leaders paid their last respect.

Dr Pradhan was a towering personality. He was a doctor and a social worker. He joined BJP in eighties and became a minister twice from 1998 to 2001 in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee governments.

President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP Naitonal President JP Nadda, among many leaders, condoled the demise of Dr Pradhan. They remembered his contributions to the nation building and strengthening BJP both at state and national level.