BENGALURU: Union Minister for the Parliamentary affair and Senior BJP leader Ananth Kumar died this morning in the private hospital of Bengaluru as he was suffering from cancer and recently returned from the US last month after the treatment from New York.
As the mark for the respect, Karnataka state government announces holidays in all school and college on Monday. The state will observe three-day mourning.
According to the doctor Mr. Ananth Kumar was diagnosed by with lung cancer at an advanced stage in June. He was under the special treatment in the best cancer hospital in Bengaluru and then shifted to the US for further treatment.
From the last month, her spouse Tejasvani Kumar and two daughters were with him on the entire journey. His body will be kept at the National College grounds for last respects. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to pay his respects and participate in the funeral.
Ananth Kumar was one of the few ministers to have also served in the earlier BJP-led government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In fact, he was the youngest minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee's cabinet in 1998 and was minister for Civil Aviation, Tourism, Sports, Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation.
The six-time MP from Karnataka was the first person to speak in Kannada in the United Nations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described him as a remarkable leader, an able administrator and a great asset to the BJP.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman condoled the demise of Mr. Kumar.
He held civil aviation, urban development, and tourism portfolios in Atal Bihari Vajpayee cabinet during 1999-2004. He was State president of BJP during 2004 Assembly elections when the party for the first time emerged as the single largest party in the State. He was a national General Secretary of BJP for nine years.
Mr. Kumar and former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa were two prominent leaders credited with building the BJP in Karnataka. Mr. Yeddyurappa, in a condolence message, said that he had lost "a personal friend" and Mr. Kumar had gone away at a young age leaving him alone.