Former MP Dhruvanarayana's last rites to be performed with full state honours: Karnataka CM Bommai

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 11 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said that it had been decided to conduct the last rites of former MP R. Dhruvanarayana with full state honours.
Condoling the demise of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president R Dhruvanarayana, who passed away this morning, Bommai said that the late leader was a softspoken person and a voice of the state in Parliament.
He said that Dhruvanarayana was a very close friend and he discussed with him issues pertaining to the state's development frankly. There was a lot of similarity between them on various issues.
"As Scheduled Caste leader, Dhruvanarayana worked for the overall development of the Chamarajanagar district in the capacity of Lok Sabha member and MLA for two terms. It was very difficult to believe that Dhruvanarayana died of a massive cardiac arrest as he was very active," said Bommai.
The CM said that Dhruvanarayana effectively spoke in Lok Sabha on the issues pertaining to Scheduled Castes and the development of the State.
"In the death of Dhruvanarayana, Karnataka lost a committed politician. Let god give his family and fans strength to bear this loss," he said.
Dhruvanarayana, 61, a former member of Parliament passed away at a hospital in Mysuru this morning.
Doctors at DRM Multi Speciality Hospital in Mysuru confirmed the demise of the Congress leader.
"R Dhruvanarayana complained of chest pain, and his driver brought him to the hospital at around 6.40 am. But he didn't survive," Dr Manjunath, a doctor at the hospital said.
Dhruvanarayana was a parliamentarian from the Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha constituency from 2009-2019.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi condoled the demise of Dhruvanayana and called this a huge loss to the party.
"Saddened by the sudden demise of former MP, Shri R Dhruvanarayan. A hard-working & humble grassroots leader, he was a champion of social justice who rose through the ranks of NSUI & Youth Congress. His passing is a huge loss to the Congress party. My condolences to his family," Rahul Gandhi tweeted.
Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala also expressed condolence over the demise of Dhruvanayana.
"No words can describe the irreparable loss of our ever-smiling friend, our leader and easily the most dedicated foot soldier of Congress, Sh. Dhruvanarayan. Dedicated to the cause of the poor, an avid champion of the downtrodden, we will miss u forever my friend. RIP," he tweeted.
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal also mourned the demise of the Karnataka unit Congress leader.
"Shocked at the passing away of KPCC Working Pres. R. Dhruvanarayana ji. He will be remembered for his commitment to the Congress through thick and thin, and his illustrious tenure in Parliament. My condolences to his family and well-wishers in this time of grief," he said in a tweet. (ANI)