Ananth Kumar: Only Karnataka leader to make a mark in BJP’s central politics

Alternative power centre in BJP state unit lost in his death

Union Minister Ananth Kumar. File photo.

The 59-year-old Ananth Kumar, who died on the earlier hours of Monday, was the only politician from Karnataka who could make it big in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Central political scape at a very young age.

In fact, he was the youngest minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s Cabinet when he got the ministerial opportunity for the first time in 1998. He held various prominent portfolios such as Civil Aviation, Tourism, Sports & Youth Affairs, Culture, Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation.

In the Narendra Modi Cabinet, he handled portfolios such as Parliamentary Affairs and Chemicals & Fertilizers.

Kumar was elected to the Lok Sabha from Bengaluru South for six consecutive times since 1996. His proximity to veteran leader L.K. Advani increased his political clout in Central politics.

He began his political career from the Sangh Parivar’s student wing of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarti Parishad (ABVP). He attracted the attention of national leaders by raising to the ranks of National Secretary of ABVP. In 1987, he entered the mainstream BJP fold and even served as president of the BJP Yuva Morcha’s state unit.

A crafty politician, Kumar played a crucial role in the development of BJP in the State by wooing prominent politicians such as former chief minister S. Bangarappa from other parties when he was the Party’s State president. The party which was stuck at a numerical strength of around 40 MLAs for quite sometime, increased its tally to become a single largest party under his leadership.

He has been credited with working for strengthening the party along with B.S. Yeddyurappa in the State. Kumar and Mr. Yeddyurappa formed the two supporting pillars of the party in Karnataka for a long time. Both were being seen as two different power centres in the Party’s State unit. There was always an undercurrent of animosity between the two groups though publicly they appeared friendly.

Now, with Kumar’s death, many leaders in the party feel that the leadership equilibrium is lost in Party’s Karnataka unit.

Kumar was supported by his wife Tejaswini, who earned public goodwill through her NGO Adamya Chetana which is known for serving mid-day meals to schoolchildren.