Odisha Excise Minister A. U. Singhdeo on Thursday resigned following the hooch tragedy in Cuttack and Khurda districts, which has claimed 30 lives so far.
Singhdeo sent his resignation on moral grounds through a special messenger to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's office, sources said.
The letter was received by the CMO when Naveen Patnaik was campaigning in Ganjam district for the ensuing panchayat elections.
The chief minister and Singhdeo were not immediately available for comment.
It was not immediately known whether the chief minister accepted the resignation by the senior BJD leader, which came ahead of the rural polls in the state.