The former Minister Kimmane Rathnakar may have lost the elections this year, but he has found a new calling. Rather, he has rediscovered his old one.
Mr. Rathnakar, who held the Primary and Secondary Education portfolio in the Siddaramaiah government, has returned to his old profession — that of an advocate — after a gap of 10 years.
The Congress leader, who has been elected to the Assembly twice, has started providing free legal service to people in his home town Tirthahalli in Shivamogga district. He is also mentoring newly enrolled advocates.
Eventually, he plans to start practice in the High Court of Karnataka and is at present searching for an office space. “I cannot practice in my home town because of conflict between law and politics,” said Mr. Rathnakar, who have over three decades of experience in practising law.
“I have no regrets. A good politician never looks back and always serves the people in many forms. Since I am from legal background and am providing free legal service to people who come to my office. Forty to 50 people involved in civil disputes come to my office daily,” he told The Hindu .
He said he would require a year to acquaint himself with the latest court verdicts in order to become a full-fledged advocate again. Mr. Rathnakar obtained his law degree from BMS Law College, Bengaluru.
Till the late 1990s, he handled many cases in the Tirthahalli taluk court. “Because of his punctuality, network and efficiency, Tirthahalli stood first in the State in disposing of Lok Adalat cases in one year in the 1990s,” recalled an advocate who once worked under him.
Mr. Rathnakar, who lost to Araga Jnanendra of the BJP in 2018 Assembly elections, was punctual in attending the legislature session during his time as MLA. “I abstained for just one and a half days during my 10-year stint,” he said.
