CUDDALORE : The death of Ramesh L Gowda (44), in the serial blasts in Sri Lanka, has thrown the entire political circuit in Tumakuru into mourning. The businessman, who was holidaying in Sri Lanka when he was killed in the blasts, had friends across political parties and was a popular figure in the city.
Friends remembered him on Monday with grief.
“We were batchmates at Sarvodaya PU college here. The news came as a big shock to me personally. We would study in different sections but used to mingle after classes,” said city BJP MLA GB Jyotiganesh. He spent the day consoling Ramesh’s family at their resident in Saraswathipura in the city.
For the Lok Sabha elections, Ramesh had canvassed for former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda against Jyotiganesh’s father GS Basavaraju, the BJP candidate. However, this did not have any effect on their friendship as he had supported Jyotiganesh in last year’s assembly polls, friends said.
The family members were also visited by Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara who also held Ramesh in high regard. “He was a very active young politician and it is a great loss for the field. His mortal remains will arrive by Tuesday evening,” Parameshwara told reporters.