Rakesh was seen as Siddaramaiah's political heir apparent for Varuna seat

Rakesh Siddaramaiah (39), son of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who died on Saturday, had celebrated his last birthday in Mysuru on July 13.

Rakesh, who was born in 1977 in Bengaluru, had expressed his wish to contest the Assembly elections in 2018, on his birthday. He had said that he would contest from either Varuna or Chamundeshwari constituency with the consent of his father.

He was married to Smitha 12 years ago. While Smitha and daughter Tanmayi are staying in an apartment in Malleswaram in Bengaluru, son Dhavan is studying class VII in Germany.

He was staying with Smitha’s sister, according to sources.

Rakesh, a BCom graduate, had studied throughout in Bengaluru and did his degree from Vijaya College. He had maintained good rapport with Mysureans and the people of Varuna and Chamundeshwari constituencies.

He was in charge of the Varuna constituency, which Siddaramaiah represents in the Assembly.

According to his close aides, he was active in public life, of late. He used to spend every Wednesday and Thursday in Mysuru.

Rakesh was active in politics from 2006, but appeared publicly only in the 2013 Assembly election. In the 2008 and 2013 elections, he had contributed majorly to his father’s victory.

He had acted in a few Kannada films, but they failed to hit the screens and he switched to politics. The last rites of Rakesh would be held at Siddaramaiah’s farmhouse at T Katur in Jayapura hobli, on Monday. The body of Rakesh would be kept for public viewing at Dasara Exhibition Grounds in Mysuru, from 10.30 am on Monday.