Former Karnataka Speaker D B Chandre Gowda passes away

Mudigere (Chikkamagaluru): Former minister D B Chandre Gowda passed away late at night at his residence owing to age-related issues at Daradahalli on Monday. He was 87.

The body will be kept for public homage at Adyantaya Rangamandira in Mudigere from 2 pm to 6 pm and the last rites will be performed at his estate on Wednesday (November 8).

Born on August 26, 1936, he was popularly called DBC by his close circle. After availing of a law degree, he practised law. Later, he joined Congress in 1971 and served as MLA, MLC, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha member.

D B Chandre Gowda won the Chikkamagaluru Lok Sabha constituency in 1971 and was re elected for the second term in 1977. He had tendered resignation to allow Indira Gandhi to contest from Chikkamagaluru in 1978 and worked for her victory. After tendering resignation to Lok Sabha MP, he was elected as MLC and had served as irrigation minister from 1979-80. He had even served as Opposition leader in Council between 1980-81.

D B Chandre Gowda later contested from Janata Party in 1983 from Tirthahalli Assembly constituency and was elected to assembly. During Ramakrishna Hegde’s tenure as Chief Minister, he had served as Assembly Speaker from 1983-85 and was lated elected to Rajya Sabha from Janata Party in 1986. He won the Tirthahalli constituency for the second term in 1987. As a Congress candidate, he contested from Sringeri constituency in 1999 and served as the minister for law and parliamentary affairs between 1999 and 2004.

D B Chandre Gowda had joined BJP in 2009 and won the Lok Sabha seat from Bengalore North. He remained away from active politics since 2014. He is survived by his wife and four daughters.