Veteran Politician and Former Chief Minister of Karnataka S.Bangarappa passed away

Veteran politician and former Chief Minister of Karnataka S.Bangarappa who was the Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1990-92 died on 26 December 2011.

He was born on 26 October 1932 in Kubatur village of Shimoga District, he was a highly respected leader among backward classes. He represented Shimoga constituency in the 14th Lok Sabha. S Bangarappa changed parties and constructed parties but finally landed in Janata Dal S Party.

Bangarappa, who had tested his political fortunes in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after a long stint in Congress, had recently joined the H D Devegowda-led Janata Dal (Secular). The three time Lok Sabha member represented Shimoga constituency and has been a legislator several times.

In his political career spanning over 50 years, Bangarappa had founded Karnataka Vikas Party and Karnataka Congress Party, both of which did not do very well. Bangarappa had played a crucial role in installing the first ever non-Congress government in Karnataka in 1983 when his outfit Karnataka Kranti Ranga supported the then Janata Party government headed by late Ramakrishna Hegde. He was the Chief Minister between 1990-92 and after he was removed from the post, he floated Karnataka Congress Party which contested the 1994 assembly elections and won 10 seats.

He was on the national political stage as a Lok Sabha member for three terms in 1996, 1999 and 2003. He was also associated with the Samajwadi Party.

His worst times in political arena came in 2009, when Bangarappa was defeated by B Y Raghavendra, son of former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa in Shimoga parliamentary seat and also in the assembly election held in 2008 at the hands of Yeddyurappa in Shikaripura constituency.

S Bangarappa was a keen enthusiast in culture of the state. Bangarappa was in to stage plays, singing and was part of one or two films in Kannada. S Bangarappa was instrumental in holding the first Indian international film festival in Bengaluru in 1993.