He was suffering from renal failure for sometime. He was 60. He is survived by his wife Sudhamani and a son.  As per Jayakumar’s wish, members of his family have decided to handover his body to JSS Medical College in Mysore. Jayakumar had written to the college offering his body for the benefit of medical students. The body will be kept for public viewing in Nanjangud on Sunday before handing it over to the college.

Jayakumar, a native of Devarahalli in Channapatna taluk, entered electoral politics from Nanjangud where he was serving as a police sub-inspector. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly for the first time in 1985 as Janata Dal candidate from Nanjangud. He served as a minister for Horticulture in the H D Deve Gowda cabinet after he was elected to the Assembly for a second term in 1994.

Later he was minister for Housing in the JD(S)-BJP coalition set up in 2006. At the fag end of his political career he joined the BSP and contested from Chamundeshwari assembly constituency in 2008.

He returned to the JD(S) after the assembly elections. Surprisingly, within a few days after joining the JD(S), he quit the party to join the ruling BJP.  Chief Minister Yeddyurappa, former Prime Minister Deve Gowda and many others have mourned his death.