Bhubaneswar: Noted trade union leader and former MLA George Tirkey died early on Saturday, his family said. He was 67. Tirkey, who was undergoing treatment at a hospital here for the last three months due to several health issues, died around 1 am. His last rites will be performed at his ancestral village Jhunmur, in Sundargarh district.

Tirkey was elected to the Assembly four times -- 1995, 2000, 2009 and 2014 -- from Biramitrapur Assembly segment in Sundargarh district. A popular tribal leader, Tirkey was elected twice on a JMM ticket, and once each as an Independent candidate and a nominee of Samata Kranti Dal, founded by him. George Tirkey played a key role in strengthening the JMM organisation in Odisha, particularly in the tribal-dominated Sundargarh district. Later in his political career, Tirkey joined the Congress before switching his allegiance to the Biju Janata Dal. He stepped back from active politics after his son, Rohit Joseph Tirkey, was elected to Biramitrapur Assembly segment in 2024 on a BJD ticket.

Former chief minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik expressed condolences over Tirkey’s demise. In a post on X, he said, “I am deeply saddened to know about the demise of senior politician and former MLA of Sundargarh’s Biramitrapur, George Tirkey. His lifelong contribution to public service is unparalleled. His work for the welfare of the people will always be remembered. I pray for eternal peace to his departed soul and express my condolences to the bereaved family members.”