Karnataka Congress leader Qamar-ul-Islam passes away

Former minister and Congress MLA Qamar-ul-Islam passed away in Bengaluru on Monday following a massive heart attack and multiple-organ failure.

Islam (69) was admitted to the Narayana Hrudayalaya hospital in Bengaluru about two weeks ago, after he developed cellulitis on his leg. A diabetic, Islam ignored the infection, which rapidly entered his bloodstream, worsening his health.

Islam is survived by wife Kaneez Fathima and his adopted son Faraz ul Islam. He was a six-time MLA, and one-term MP. A sitting MLA, Islam represented the Kalaburagi North assembly constituency.

Dr Shivaprasad C, who treated Islam along with a team of doctors, said the minority leader breathed his last at 12.02 pm following refractory cardiogenic and septic shock.

According to Dr Shafi Shali, a family friend of Islam, the Congress leader was holidaying in Maldives when he noticed red blotches on his legs.

“He, however, ignored it, despite being a diabetic. It unfortunately turned out to be fatalistic,” he added.

Islam’s body was taken to his RT Nagar residence in Bengaluru, and from there to Masjid-E-Khadria, where his mortal remains were kept for viewing.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who paid his last respects, said that Islam’s death was a great loss to both the Congress and the minority community that he represented.

Islam’s body was later transported to Kalaburagi by road and the funeral will be held on Tuesday evening.

The veteran politician did not taste electoral defeat since 1989. Islam won every election he contested during the last 28 years, including one to the Lok?Sabha.

Islam, a mechanical engineering degree holder, started his political career in 1978 and was elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly in 1978 on a Muslim League ticket. He was member of Parliament between 1996-1998 after getting elected from the Gulbarga Lok?Sabha constituency.

In 1999, he served as minister for housing and small-scale industries in the S M Krishna Cabinet. He also served in Siddaramaiah’s Cabinet as minister for municipal administration, public enterprises, minority development and Waqf. However, Islam was dropped from the cabinet in June 2016. Since then he was sulking in the Congress.

In July this year, Islam was appointed the AICC secretary in-charge of Kerala, following speculation that he was planning to quit the party and join the JD(S).