Congress loyalist and former CM Dharam Singh, who belonged to the minority Rajput community, transcended caste politics by winning from Jewargi 7 times; an affable politician, he stayed away from controversies in his five-decades-old political career
BENGALURU: It was his friendly, easy-going nature that perhaps propelled Dharam Singh to head the state’s first coalition government. Singh was the ‘compromise’ candidate after the Congress government headed by SM Krishna lost majority in the May 2004 Assembly elections. The JD(S), which was in kingmaker position, refused to ally with the Congress if Krishna continued to lead it. And so the man from the minority Rajput community, representing Jewargi constituency in Kalaburagi, emerged as the consensus candidate.
It was a shaky government from the start and predictably lasted less than two years.
Prior to that, as KPCC president from 1996 to 1999, Singh helped revive the party’s flagging fortunes. But it was his affable nature that helped him forge lasting friendships in Karnataka’s quicksand politics, the most well-known being that with fellow Congressman Mallikarjun Kharge. The two were termed as Lava-Kusha of state Congress.
Beginning his political career by participating in the Goa Liberation Movement in 1958, Singh became an independent corporator of Gulbarga City Municipal Council in the 1960s. He soon joined the Congress and remained loyal to the party till his last breath.
Singh was first elected to the state legislative assembly in 1978 from Jewargi. He won seven times from this constituency in the Hyderabad-Karnataka region, sans any strong caste backing. His Rajput community has only a microscopic presence in the region but the consecutive victories were testimony to his endearing, simple nature and astute political acumen. The ‘Solillada Sardara’ (invincible leader) tasted defeat only in 2008, when he lost to the BJP candidate by a wafer-thin margin.
Singh also had a memorable stint in national politics. He gave up the Gulbarga Lok Sabha seat in 1980 for CM Stephen, who was a Union Minister, on Indira Gandhi’s directions. He was elected to Lok Sabha again in 2009, this time from the Bidar Lok Sabha constituency but lost to the BJP in 2014. Singh had also served as minister for Home, PWD, Social Welfare, Urban Development and Revenue under various Congress chief ministers
A low-profile man, Singh stayed away from controversies during most of his five-decades old political career. It was only in the fag end of his career that allegations of allowing illegal mining during his tenure as CM between 2004-2006 surfaced.
July 27, 2017
9 am: Complained of chest pain, rushed to a hospital
11.30 am: Passed away due to cardiac arrest at M S Ramaiah Hospital, Bengaluru
Ex-CM was brought unresponsive
Bengaluru: Ex-chief minister N Dharam Singh was brought to the department of Emergency Medicine in MS Ramaiah Memorial Hospital at 10:30 am in an unresponsive state. Dr Naresh Shetty, in a press statement, said, “The symptoms suggested a massive cardiac event. A team of emergency medicine specialists led by Dr Aruna Ramesh ensured immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Despite all measures, he did not respond. He expired at 11.30 am. All his family members were present.”
Supporters block highway for last rites in Nelogi
When the news about Singh likely to be cremated at Kalaburagi broke, residents of Nelogi went up in arms. They blocked Kalaburagi-Vijayapura highway near Nelogi Cross for about two hours and burnt tyres demanding the last rites of their beloved leader be performed at his birthplace. After the assurance from the district administration that the last rites would be performed in Nelogi itself, the agitation was withdrawn.