BELAGAVI: On completion of his LLB, Minister of State for Railways Suresh Angadi entered the cement business and popularised Vasavadatta Cement in Belagavi region. His friend Ashok Chandargi from Belagavi said, “Angadi always wanted to set up educational institutions in North Karnataka, especially Belagavi, to promote rural students. Besides building schools and colleges in his village, KK Kop, he set up Angadi Institute of Technology and Engineering in Belagavi a few years ago, in this region,’’ Chandargi said.
The BJP has been able to win most of the 18 assembly seats in Belagavi, ever since Atal Bihari Vajpayee became Prime Minister. Babagouda Patil, who was elected first BJP MP from Belagavi, was inducted as Minister for Rural Development in Vajapayee’s cabinet. However, the saffron party decided to field Angadi from Belagavi in the 2004 election, snubbing Babagouda because Angadi had emerged a popular leader by then.
Several leaders from Belagavi, cutting across party lines, condoled his demise and called him as a “great human being’’. MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar said she was extremely shocked. “Angadi was a good leader who respected people. As a minister, he was able to implement several pending projects. We have lost an able leader and fantastic person,’’ she added.
Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “Deeply saddened to hear about the untimely demise of Sh Suresh Angadi, MoS Railways who succumbed to COVID. Heartfelt condolences to his family. I pray to Almighty that his soul rests in peace,” he posted on Twitter.