KPCC working president R Dhruvanarayana dies of heart attack

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president R Dhruvanarayana (62) died of cardiac arrest at a private hospital in Mysuru on Saturday morning.

Dhruvanarayana, who was Lok Sabha Member (MP) from Chamarajanagar Scheduled Caste (SC) reserved constituency in 2009 and 2014, had lost in 2019, to V Srinivas Prasad of the BJP. Earlier he was elected to Karnataka Legeslative Assembly from Santhemarahalli SC reserved Assembly constituency in 2004 and from Kollegal SC reserved Assembly constituency in 2008. His result in 2004 was history, as he won with a margin of just one vote, against A R Krishnamurthy of the JD(S). In his first election in 1999, Dhruvanarayana had lost to Krishnamurthy, who was then a JD(U) candidate, in Santhermarahalli constituency. Santhemarahalli ceased to exist due to the delimitation effected in 2008.

The Congress Prajadwani Yatre, scheduled for Saturday, at Ramanagar segment of KPCC president D K Shivakumar, was cancelled following the death of Dhruvanarayana. A condolence meeting has been scheduled at KPCC office in Bengaluru at 11 am.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted: “Saddened by the sudden demise of former MP, Shri R Dhruvanarayan. A hard-working & humble grassroots leader, he was a champion of social justice who rose through the ranks of NSUI & Youth Congress. His passing is a huge loss to the Congress party. My condolences to his family”.

Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala has tweeted: “No words can describe the irreparable loss of our ever smiling friend, our leader & easily the most dedicated foot soldier of Congress, Sh Dhruvanarayan. Dedicated to the cause of poor, an avid champion of downtrodden, we will miss u forever my friend. RIP”.

“Son of C Rangaswamy, born on July 31, 1961, in Heggavadi village of Chamarajanagara taluk and district, Dhruvanarayana studied up to 10th standard at St Philomena’s High School and studied PUC at Sarada Vilas College. He then joined the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) at Bengaluru and did both undergraduate and post graduate courses (completed in 1987), when he entered politics as a student leader,” said H A Venkatesh KPCC sopkesman.

“In 1983, Dhruvanarayana joined the Congress and served as president of Students Union of Agriculture College, Hebbal, Bengaluru in 1984. The same year, he was appointed as president of National Students Union of India (NSUI), Bengaluru city. In 1986, he was appointed as general secretary of Karnataka State Youth Congress. He was made chairman of Abhaya Hasta committee, constituted by the KPCC, to tackle health issues during the Covid-19 crisis,” Venkatesh recalled.

“Having served the Agriculture department of Karnataka government as an Agriculture Officer, after completing education, for a short period, Dhruvanarayan was nominated to the Board of Regent of the UAS. He owned a petrol bunk and was a farmer. He was a resident of Vijayanagar Fourth Stage in Mysuru,” Venkatesh said.

He is survived by wife D Veena and sons D Darshan and D Dhiren. His cousin Kalale Keshavamurthy was elected as MLA from Nanjangud SC reserved Assembly segment in the 2017 bypoll.

According to family sources, Dhruvanarayan complained of chest pain and called up the doctor that he had chest pain and would reach the hospital around 6 am on Saturday. He suffered the cardiac arrest at the hospital.