Supporters throng to pay last respects

As the news about Bangarappa's death broke, hundreds of people from various parts of the State started pouring into his Sadashivanagar residence on Monday morning to pay their last respects to the leader.

People, mostly from his home district Shimoga and surrounding districts, queued up in front of his residence as early as 7 am. While some had come by private vehicles, others had arrived by public transport. This, despite the family of the leader announcing that the mortal remains will be taken to Shimoga by Monday evening.

Besides, a galaxy of leaders from all political parties, including former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, Law Minister S Suresh Kumar and KPCC President G Parameshwara, many cine actors and writers paid their respects to the departed leader. The leaders recalled their association with Bangarappa and his contribution to the development of the State.

Salman Khurshid said: "I never thought I would meet my best friend like this during my visit to Bangalore. Besides being a seasoned politician, Bangarappa was a friendly person," he stated.

Congress leader D K Shivakumar became emotional while describing his association with Bangarappa. "In 1990, I had just entered politics as an MLA. In one of the party meetings, I told Bangarappa that he will become the next chief minister.

He replied that he would make me a minister if my prediction comes true. Later, when he became the chief minister, he kept his word and took me as a minister in his cabinet," Shivakumar said.

Deve Gowda said Bangarappa was his contemporary in politics and his death was a huge loss to the State. He was a great leader of the backward classes and such a leader would not take birth again, he added. Bangarappa was with the JD(S) when he died.

Krishna described Bangarappa as a rare politician and a man of self pride.

He had worked immensely for the development of backward classes. He could not realise all his dreams, due to his short stint as chief minister, he added.

In a statement, Minister Jagadish Shettar said Bangarappa, as chief minister, had launched programmes such as ‘Akshaya’, ‘Aradhana’, ‘Ashraya’ and ‘Vishwa’ and thus contributed in a unique manner to the State’s progress.

A number of Kannada cine actors also paid their last respects to the leader. Prominent among them were Bharathi Vishnuvardhan, Shivarajkumar, Ram Kumar, Balraj and President of Karnataka Film Chambers of Commerce K V Chandrashekar.