Senior BJP leader and former Karnataka minister Ramachandra Gowda passed away at the age of 88. Senior leaders like BS Yediyurappa, Shobha Karandlaje and R Ashok have expressed deep grief over the demise of Gowda, who was associated with the party since Jana Sangh days.
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [भारत]July 14 (ANI): Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Karnataka minister Ramachandra Gowda died at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Tuesday at the age of 88. Senior party leaders recalled his decades-long contribution to the development and organization of the party in the state.
Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje expressed grief over his demise and described him as a veteran BJP leader who dedicated his entire life to the nationalist movement. In a post on
Senior leaders paid tribute
He further said, “His unwavering commitment to the party, public service and the nation will always be remembered. Heartfelt condolences to his family and all BJP workers. Om Shanti.”
Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R Ashoka, also paid tribute to Gowda, calling him the “Bheeshma of Bengaluru BJP” and one of the key architects of the party’s organizational growth in the state. In a post on
Ashok said, “He always led with love, kept a reassuring hand on our shoulders and guided millions of workers for decades. His passing is as painful as losing an elder in our own family.”
Ashok said Gowda had taken the party’s first major step into the state capital after being elected to the Bengaluru Municipal Corporation as a Jana Sangh candidate in 1970. He said, “If the BJP has grown proudly in Bengaluru today, its sacrifice, hard work and organizational loyalty are firmly rooted in its roots. He was a rare leader who dedicated his life to the party organization for more than five decades without any desire for power.”
Ashoka also highlighted Gowda’s tenure as a five-time member of the Karnataka Legislative Council. He said, “No matter how much power he got, he never gave up his simplicity; no matter how high his position, he never forgot his workers. The doors of his home and mind were always open for the workers.”
Describing Gowda as the “organizational architect” of the BJP, Ashok said, “Today, our party has lost not only a senior leader but also an organizational architect who built and nurtured the party since the Jana Sangh days. With his departure, a long era of the party’s organizational strength and ideological commitment has come to an end.”
He prayed for eternal peace of Gowda’s soul and strength to his family, relatives and party workers to bear the loss.
Yediyurappa said- I have lost another brother
Former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa also expressed grief and prayed that God rests his soul and grants strength to his family members.
Yediyurappa wrote on His passing has left a deep void not only for the party and the public sector but also within me personally. I pray that God grants his soul peace, and strength to his family members and fans to bear this loss.”
Gowda’s tenure as an administrator
Along with leaders like BS Yediyurappa, Gowda traveled for decades in rural Karnataka to build the BJP cadre from scratch. As Minister of Science and Technology, Gowda led the digitization of state government files. He was a driving force behind setting up early e-governance protocols in Karnataka to expedite bureaucratic clearances. During his tenure as Minister of Mines and Geology, he introduced strict regulatory frameworks to prevent illegal mining. Gowda focused on streamlined licensing processes to maximize state revenue while preserving natural resources. (ANI)
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