Dharme Gowda, the humble grassroots neta
BELAGAVI: Karnataka woke up to the shocking news that Deputy Chairman of State Legislative Council, Sarapanahalli Lakshmaiah Dharme Gowda, allegedly committed suicide on the railway track near Chikkamagaluru early Tuesday.The 65-year-old low-profile leader was known to be a humble neta having cordial relations with the leaders of various political parties.Dharme Gowda who began his political career winning his first Gram Panchayat election in 1985 (Bilikallahalli GP), had never looked back.
He hailed from a political family which remains loyal to the Janata Dal (Secular) ever since his father Lakshmaiah became MLA of Birur for the first time in 1983. Lakshmaiah went on to win two more assembly elections in 1985 and 1994. And Dharme Gowda was already actively involved in panchayat politics and cooperative sector in Chikkamagaluru region under his father’s able guidance.
As a popular leader at the grassroots, he was able to gain massive support from the rural folk that helped him win elections to Chikkamagaluru Zilla Panchayat twice. Several leaders recall his steady climb in the cooperative sector, culminating in him becoming the director of the Chikkamagaluru District Central Cooperative Bank, the post which he held for an enviable 32 years. He was also actively associated with Hassan Milk Federation, PCARD Bank, Karnataka Milk Federation and Apex Bank.
As a JDS candidate, Dharme Gowda won the 2004 assembly elections but could not retain his seat in the elections that followed. However, his family’s links with Deve Gowda’s family helped when H D Kumaraswamy became Chief Minister of the JDS-Congress coalition. As CM, Kumaraswamy ensured Dharme Gowda’s election as MLC unopposed and got the latter’s brother S L Bhojegowda elected as MLC from the Teachers Constituency in Chikkamagaluru.
Dharme Gowda’s warm ties with various political parties helped him become the Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council during Kumaraswamy’s tenure. He was retained in the same post even after the fall of the coalition government.Recalling his long association with Dharme Gowda, MLC Basavaraj Horatti said he was extremely popular in the cooperative sector and worked for the welfare of the people at the grassroots for several decades.
Dharme Gowda was disturbed by the tussle that took place in the Legislative Council, Horatti said, while expressing regret over the way he ended his life.Demanding a probe into Dharme Gowda’s alleged suicide, KPCC working president Satish Jarkiholi has urged the government to disclose the contents of the death note.