The former Minister Raja Madangopal Naik passed away at ESIC Hospital in Kalaburagi on Monday. He was 69. He is survived by his wife and two sons.
Madangopal Naik tested positive for COVID-19 last week. He was suffering from pneumonia and heart-related diseases, according to Shorpaur Taluk Health Officer R.V. Naik.
Madangopal Naik was elected to Assembly from Shorapur constituency in 1983, 1985 and 1989 on Congress ticket. He was Minister for Agriculture and APMC under the then Chief Minister M. Veerappa Moily. He lost the Assembly election in 2013 when he contested on BJP ticket.
As a Janata Dal(S) candidate, he lost to late A. Venkatesh Naik in the Raichur Lok Sabha constituency in 2004 by 508 votes.
Madangopal Naik was in the recent past involved in art and literature and organised the third District Kannada Sahitya Sammelan in Shorapur.
Mourning Madangopal Naik’s death, Rajugowda (Narasimha Naik), MLA from Shorapur, said that “he was one of my guides. People of Shorapur have lost a true leader.”
The former MLA Raja Venkatappa Naik said: “Madangopal Naik was a gentleman-politician. I have lost my close friend, relative and adviser.”
