The body of Melkote MLA K.S. Puttannaiah, who died of massive cardiac arrest on Sunday night, was shifted to Mysuru on Monday to be preserved until the cremation, which is expected to be held on Thursday.
Mr. Puttannaiah’s daughters are settled in the US and they are expected to arrive on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, several hundreds of farmers and his fans across Mandya and neighbouring districts thronged Kyathanahalli near Pandavapura to pay their last respects.
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The body was kept at Sir M. Visvesvaraya Stadium near Pandavapura for public to pay their homage. It was wrapped in a green shawl, the symbol of the farming community.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Minsters H.C. Mahadevappa, Tanveer Sait and Geetha Mahadeva Prasad, Mandya MP C.S. Puttaraju, former Ministers Shobha Karandlaje and C.T. Ravi and others paid their last respects to the departed farmers’ leader.
According to the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS), the place of cremation is not yet decided. However, it is said that the family has decided to perform his last rites at the farmland of Mr. Puttannaiah near Kyathanahalli.
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Meanwhile, a pall of gloom descended on Kyathanahalli, Pandavapura and surrounding areas on Monday following the death of the veteran KRRS leader.
While private school owners association declared holiday for schools, shopkeepers voluntarily downed shutters as a mark of respect to their leader.
Statue in Pandavapura
Mr. Siddaramaiah said that the State government would install a statue of Mr. Puttannaiah in Pandavapura.
He also expressed shock over the sudden death of the KRRS leader and said Mr. Puttannaiah had been actively participating in budget discussions and programmes related to the farming community.