Mr S. Bangarappa, who was the Chief Minister of Karnataka during the early 90s, passed away in the early hours of Monday. He was 79 and is survived by his wife, two sons and three daughters. He was suffering from diabetes and kidney problems and was being treated from December 7, 2011.
Mr Bangarappa, who was born in 1932, started his political career in 1967 when he became a member of the Karnataka legislative assembly. He was associated with various parties, like Congress (I), Bharatiya Janata Party, Samajwadi Party and Janata Dal (S). He also started his own parties like the Karnataka Kranthi Ranga and the Karnataka Vikas Party.
In the early 1990s, he was involved with the Classik Computer case, where it was alleged that he had received kickbacks for the purchase of computers. He was acquitted in 2003 by the CBI and this acquittal was upheld by the Karnataka High Court in June 2011.
Mr Bangarappa was a Lok Sabha member in 1996, 1999 and 2003. In recent times, his political fortunes were on the wane and he lost to former Karnataka Chief Minister Mr B.S. Yeddyurappa in 2008 during assembly elections and to Mr Yeddyurappa's son Mr B.Y. Raghavendra in 2009.
Mr Bangarappa's last rites will be performed in his native village Kabatur on Tuesday, December 27, 2011.