Ananth Kumar, a passionate Bengalurean

He represented city in LS for 22 years

Ananth Kumar is credited with playing a key role in getting the metro rail project to Bengaluru.

Union Minister Ananth Kumar was a passionate Bengalurean and represented the city in the Lok Sabha for 22 years.

This tenure was the second longest only next to C.K. Jaffer Sharief, who represented the city in the Lok Sabha for 25 years, with a two year break during 1996–98.

Mr. Ananth Kumar’s family hailed from Hegganahalli near Devanahalli on the outskirts of the city. He chose Bengaluru for his debut in electoral politics in 1996 Lok Sabha elections, which he won. He remained an MP from Bengaluru South constituency till his death, having won the seat for six times.

International airport

He is credited with playing a key role in getting the city Namma Metro and Kempegowda International Airport. Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Monday recalled that Mr. Ananth Kumar had played a key role in getting the city the metro rail project.

“I was the Urban Development Minister in S.M. Krishna’s Cabinet. We had taken a delegation to Delhi seeking metro rail for Bengaluru. Mr. Ananth Kumar took us to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, intensely lobbied for the same, and ensured the city got the metro rail project,” he said.

BJP State president B.S. Yeddyurappa credited him with playing a key role in bringing the international airport to the city, also during Vajpayee’s tenure, apart from the metro rail project.

Mr. Ananth Kumar was also the co-chair of Agenda for Bengaluru Infrastructure Development (ABIDe) during 2008–10, when Mr. Yeddyurappa was the Chief Minister.

Mr. Shivakumar also said Mr. Ananth Kumar as Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, had expressed his intent to start a large fertilizer factory near the city.