JOIN USJayaprakash Hegde started off his political inning with two consecutive defeats. Not getting demoralized by the defeat he then got elected as MLA thrice.
This followed two more defeats and then came the romping, historical victory of Wednesday in the Chikmagalur-Udupi Lok Sabha polls.
This 59-year old politician is a practicing advocate, who stepped into politics through Janata Dal. He then migrated to Congress. Hegde lost the Assembly election on Janata Dal ticket from Brahmavar constituency. In 1994 he tasted victory and became the Minister for Fisheries in J H Patel’s cabinet.
When Janata Dal broke into two factions, Hegde decided to distance himself and contested in 1999 Assembly election as independent candidate. He was elected to the assembly from Brahmavara constituency and in 2004 he was reelected as MLA from the same constituency.
In 2008, with the demarcation of constituencies, Brahmavar constituency was merged with Udupi. He went on to join Congress. He was fielded by Congress for Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha poll in 2009 against BJP’s D V Sadananda Gowda. Hegde lost by 27,000 votes.
In 2012 by polls, Congress gave Hegde another chance and this time he has won over the constituency with a lead of 45,000 votes.He is the som of retired judge K Chandrashekar Hegde. He was born on August 16, 1952 at Korgi in Kundapur. He is married to Shobha Hegde and has a daughter and son.