MYSURU: KPCC working president and former Chamarajanagar MP R Dhruvanarayan died after suffering a massive heart attack at his residence here on Saturday morning. Dhruvanarayan was a two-time MP and two-time MLA from Santhemarahalli and Kollegal assembly constituencies. He was busy preparing for the coming assembly elections, anticipating a party ticket for Nanjangud seat.
Dhruvanarayan, who was a syndicate member of Agriculture University, was a follower of late MP M Rajasekara Murthy. He was an active member of NSUI and Youth Congress. Hailing from a humble Dalit family, Dhruvanarayan entered politics and created history by winning by a margin of one vote from Santhemarahalli constituency in 2004.
He was elected from Kollegal constituency in the next assembly elections. The Congress fielded him from Chamarajanagar constituency in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. He was elected for two consecutive terms from Chamarajanagar constituency. A workaholic, Dhruvanarayan, who lost the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, was made working president of KPCC.
His sudden death has sent shockwaves among his fans and followers, who were anticipating his return to state politics by contesting from Nanjangud assembly constituency in the 2023 elections. He is survived by his wife Veena and sons Darshan and Deeran. The cremation will take place at his village, Heggavadi, in Chamarajanagar district on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Congress party, which is on a Pan-Karnataka rally with the Praja Dhwani Yatra on Saturday, cancelled all their engagements due to the death of one of the working presidents R Dhruvanarayan. The Yatra, which entered the district through Channagiri taluk on Friday, was to move through Honnali and Harihar assembly segments and arrangements had been made for the programme, however, it was cancelled.