Former Karnataka CM N Dharam Singh passes away

Bengaluru: Former chief minister of Karnataka N Dharam Singh breathed his last on Thursday. He was 80.

Singh passed away at Bengaluru's MS Ramaiah Memorial Hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest.

He is survived by wife, two sons and a daughter.

The ex-Karnataka CM, ailing for the last few months, fainted at his home and was rushed to MS Ramaiah hospital where doctors declared him dead about 40 minutes later.

"He was sweating profusely (when he was brought to the hospital). Cardiologists attended to him but he was not responding and declared dead around 11.30 am," Dr VR Anil Kumar, Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, told PTI.

A veteran Congress leader for over six decades, Singh was the Chief Minister of the first coalition government in the southern state from May 28, 2004, to February 03, 2006, with the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S).

Singh was an MP from the Bidar Lok Sabha constituency from 2009-2014 and a seven-time legislator from the Jewargi Assembly segment in the state`s northern district of Kalaburgi from 1978-2008.

The veteran Congressman had served in the ministries of D Devaraj Urs, R Gundu Rao, Veerappa Moily and SM Krishna holding key portfolios, including Home and Public Works Department. 

Born on December 25, 1936, Singh, a Rajput, was the ruling party`s state unit president from 1999-2004.

(With Agency inputs)