Karnataka Minister for Planning and Statistics D Sudhakar passed away in the early hours of Sunday, May 10, following a prolonged battle with a lung infection.
The 66-year-old senior Congress leader breathed his last at 3:15 am at the Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences in Bengaluru. According to medical officials, Sudhakar had been undergoing intensive care for the past two months and had been on life support for the last two weeks. While doctors had considered a lung transplant to save the veteran politician, his rapidly deteriorating health prevented the procedure from taking place.
The state government has announced a three-day mourning period across Karnataka to honor his memory, along with a public holiday for the Chitradurga district on Monday.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s office said people could pay their respects to the deceased minister on Monday, May 11, in Challakere, where he would be given a state funeral.
Sudhakar was a prominent figure in Karnataka politics, serving as a four-time MLA. He was first elected from Challakere in 2004 before representing the Hiriyur constituency three times starting in 2008.
Throughout his career, he held various significant portfolios, including Social Welfare and Muzrai, and was widely regarded as a dedicated advocate for farmers and backward communities.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed his condolences, recalling Sudhakar’s immense popularity among the people. He said that Sudhakar hailed from Challakere, and contested from Hiriyur after Challakere was reserved for the Scheduled Tribes in 2008.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar recalled Sudhakar as a tireless worker who was constantly pushing for development projects in his constituency. He noted that Sudhakar’s persistent focus on the needs of the poor was a hallmark of his long political career.
Other leaders from across the political spectrum, including Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok, also paid their respects. AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala described Sudhakar as a “leader who was committed to the Congress ideology, and forever devoted to the people of Hiriyur and Chitradurga.”
