<p>Chitradurga: The incumbent minister and four-time MLA D Sudhakar passed away in a private hospital in Bengaluru in the wee hours of Sunday at the age of 66.</p><p>He was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Bengaluru for lung infection over the last month. </p>.<p>He was elected as MLA for the first time in 2004 from Challakere on Congressi ticket. </p><p>Following delimitation, Challakere was reserved for Scheduled Tribes. So he moved to Hiriyuur. But he was denied ticket by the Congress. He had contested as an independent and has emerged victorious in In 2008.</p><p>He also became the Minister of Social Welfare after declaring support for the B.S. Yediyurappa-led government.</p><p>He was re-elected from the Congress party in the 2013 elections.</p><p>He lost to Poornima Srinivas, who contested as a BJP candidate in the 2018 elections.</p><p>He was re-elected from the Congress in 2023 and became the Minister of Statistics and Planning. </p>.<p>The mortal remains of district in-charge Minister Sudhakar will be taken to Hiriyur by his family members and supporters from KIMS hospital in Bengaluru at 9:00 am.</p><p>It is expected to reach Hiriyur around 2 pm. Arrangements have been made for the public viewing at Nehru maidan till 5 pm. Later, the mortal remains will be taken out to Challakere and they will be kept for public viewing in taluk stadium in Challakere till 3:00 pm on May 11.</p><p>The last rites will be performed at 4 pm on May 11 as per Jain tradition, family sources said.</p>
<p>Chitradurga: The incumbent minister and four-time MLA D Sudhakar passed away in a private hospital in Bengaluru in the wee hours of Sunday at the age of 66.</p><p>He was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Bengaluru for lung infection over the last month. </p>.<p>He was elected as MLA for the first time in 2004 from Challakere on Congressi ticket. </p><p>Following delimitation, Challakere was reserved for Scheduled Tribes. So he moved to Hiriyuur. But he was denied ticket by the Congress. He had contested as an independent and has emerged victorious in In 2008.</p><p>He also became the Minister of Social Welfare after declaring support for the B.S. Yediyurappa-led government.</p><p>He was re-elected from the Congress party in the 2013 elections.</p><p>He lost to Poornima Srinivas, who contested as a BJP candidate in the 2018 elections.</p><p>He was re-elected from the Congress in 2023 and became the Minister of Statistics and Planning. </p>.<p>The mortal remains of district in-charge Minister Sudhakar will be taken to Hiriyur by his family members and supporters from KIMS hospital in Bengaluru at 9:00 am.</p><p>It is expected to reach Hiriyur around 2 pm. Arrangements have been made for the public viewing at Nehru maidan till 5 pm. Later, the mortal remains will be taken out to Challakere and they will be kept for public viewing in taluk stadium in Challakere till 3:00 pm on May 11.</p><p>The last rites will be performed at 4 pm on May 11 as per Jain tradition, family sources said.</p>
