Former Karnataka CM Sarekoppa Bangarappa passes away
Bangarappa died early this morning at a private hospital following a brief illness, family sources said.
Former Karnataka chief minister Sarekoppa Bangarappa died early Monday morning after suffering from kidney-related problems.
The 79-year-old politician, who was known for jumping from one political party to the other and for his pro-poor approach, is survived by wife, two sons and three daughters.
Bangarappa had played a key role in installing the first ever non-Congress government in Karnataka in 1983 when his outfit Karnataka Kranti Ranga supported the then Janata Party government headed by late Ramakrishna Hegde. He was the chief minister of the state between 1990 and 1992.
Born on October 26, 1932, Bangarappa entered politics in 1967 when he was elected to the state assembly and served the late Devaraj Urs ministry in 1972.
Bangarappa was on the national political stage as a Lok Sabha member for three terms in 1996, 1999 and 2003. He was also with the Samajwadi Party. A highly respected leader among backward classes, Bangarappa, however, lost the 2009 parliamentary polls to BY Raghavendra in Shimoga.