R V Devaraj, Congress leader, ex-MLA from Bengaluru, passes away

He died in Mysuru following a heart attack; Devaraj had represented Chamarajpet and Chickpet constituencies

Bengaluru: Congress leader and former MLA R V Devaraj passed away in Mysuru on Monday night following a heart attack. He was 67. 

Devaraj, who is said to have been to the Chamundi Hills, suffered a heart attack. He was first taken to Apollo Hospital and then was being taken to Jayadeva Hospital, when he passed away on the way. 

A three-time MLA, Devaraj had represented the Congress from the Chamarajpet constituency in 1989 and 1999. In 2004, he vacated his seat for the then Chief Minister S M Krishna who won the election. Post delimitation, Devaraj became an MLA again in 2013 from the Chickpet constituency. 

He was the chairman of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC). He was also appointed as the Karnataka Slum Development Board chairman in 2016 during Siddaramaiah’s first term as Chief Minister. 

In 2018 and 2023, Devaraj unsuccessfully contested from the Chickpet constituency against Uday B Garudachar of the BJP. Devaraj’s birthday was on December 3.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar expressed his condolence. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Shivakumar recalled Devaraj’s contributions to the the Chickpet constituency and termed his demise “a big loss” to State politics and the constituency.