Veteran Karnataka BJP leader Ramachandra Gowda passes away at 88

Senior BJP leader and former Karnataka minister Ramachandra Gowda passed away at the age of 88 in a private hospital in Bengaluru after a prolonged illness. A prominent figure in Karnataka politics for over five decades, Gowda served as a Member of the Karnataka Legislative Council (MLC) for multiple terms and held several key ministerial portfolios, including Medical Education, Science and Technology, and Sericulture.

Gowda began his political journey with the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and later became one of the BJP's senior-most leaders in Karnataka. Over the years, he played an important role in strengthening the party's organisational structure and also served as Deputy Chairman of the Karnataka State Planning Board. In 2017, he stepped away from electoral politics but continued to remain active in public life and party affairs.

Leaders across political parties, including BJP leaders and Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, condoled his demise and remembered his contributions to public service and state politics. His passing is being widely seen as the end of an era in Karnataka's political landscape.