Shakuntala Bangarappa, the wife of the former Chief Minister S. Bangarappa, passed away at a private hospital here on Tuesday after battling cancer. She was 78.
She is survived by two sons — the former Minister and Congress leader Kumar Bangarappa and Janata Dal (Secular) MLA Madhu Bangarappa — and three daughters, including Geetha Shivarajkumar, wife of actor Shivarajkumar.
The body was kept at Mr. Madhu Bangarappa’s residence in Sadashivanagar in Bangalore for people to pay their respects.
The former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Urban Development Minister Vinay Kumar Sorake, Housing Minister M.H. Ambareesh, members of the late actor Rajkumar’s family, journalist and former MLC P. Ramaiah and the former Minister Bandeppa Kashempur were among those who paid their last respects.
The body will be kept at Ms. Bangarappa’s native village of Kubatur on Wednesday morning for people to pay their respects and then taken to Sorab town at 11 a.m. where a funeral procession will be held.
Ms. Bangarappa took a keen interest in the political careers of her children following her husband’s death.
Despite her health problems, she recently campaigned for Ms. Shivarajkumar, who contested as the JD(S) candidate from Shimoga in the Lok Sabha elections.
She also campaigned for Mr. Madhu Bangarappa who contested the last Assembly elections from Sorab constituency.
A meeting was held at the JD(S) district unit office to mourn her death.
The former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, B.Y. Raghavendra, MP, president of the Karnataka State Cooperative Apex Bank R.M. Manjunatha Gowda have condoled her death.
