Karnataka minister D Sudhakar passes away

Karnataka Planning and Statistics Minister D. Sudhakar died at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Sunday. He was 66 years old. He is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.

The minister was on life support for more than two weeks following a lung infection. According to the statement, the Minister caught a lung infection when he had knee surgery. He was transferred to another hospital, where he was placed in intensive care.

The medical bulletin from the hospital stated that he was declared dead at 03.15 on Sunday.

The last rites will be performed at Chalakere of Chitradurga district on Monday. The government announced a holiday for schools, colleges and government institutions and three days of mourning for Karnataka on Monday.

Mr. Sudhakar represented Hiriyur constituency in the Legislative Assembly.

Prominent leaders of party affiliations condoled the death of Mr. Sudhakar. Randeep Singh Surjewala, AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka, said Mr. Sudhakar stood out for his smiling demeanor, simplicity and grassroots ties.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the political sphere has been damaged by Mr. Sudhakar’s death.

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said the State government would consider naming an irrigation project after Mr. Sudhakar in memory of his struggle for implementation of the Upper Bhadra project.

Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda and Leader of Opposition in Parliament R. Ashok also condoled on Msinister’s death.

He turned negativities into advantages:

Mr. Sudhakar was a four-time MLA who turned political adversities into advantages.

Mr. Sudhakar, who used to keep a low profile, was first elected to the Karnataka Assembly from Challakere in 2004 on a Congress ticket. He then shifted to nearby Hiriyur as it split into Chalakere ST.

When the Congress refused to buy him a ticket from Hiriyur in 2008, he contested as an Independent and managed to defeat the Congress candidate.

The Congress’ refusal to give him a ticket turned out to be to his advantage as the BJP, which lacked a majority, extended its support to the BS Yediyurappa-led government and offered him a ministerial berth.

But he returned to Congress in 2013 and successfully challenged his nomination. He was appointed president of KEONICS in 2016. He also became the chairman of Chitradurga District Credit Cooperative Bank.

However, he lost the polls in 2018 and managed to win again in 2023 and also became a Minister.