Srikantaiah, 85, is survived by three sons and five daughters.
Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa condoled the death and recalled Srikantaiah's services to the state and also the country.
Srikantaiah was also a Lok Sabha member between 1989-91. He had served in the Congress ministries headed by late D Devaraj Urs, late Veerendra Patil and S M Krishna.
Srikantaiah had unsuccessfully contested the 2009 Lok Sabha elections from Hassan constituency on a BJP ticket against former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda.
Gowda visited the hospital and paid his last respects to the departed soul.
Karnataka PCC President G Parameshwara placed a wreath on the body.
Srikantaiah's body would be taken to Chennarayapatna, his erstwhile assembly constituency today, and cremated in his native village Hiresave tomorrow, his family said.
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