In Mahadeva Prasad, Siddaramaiah has lost another friend

BENGALURU: One of chief minister Siddaramaiah's closest friends, sugar and cooperation minister HS Mahadeva Prasad (in picture), died of a massive heart attack at a resort in Chikkamagaluru early on Tuesday morning.

Prasad, 58, was staying at the resort after attending a Congress party event on Monday at Koppa in the same district. He reportedly had dinner on Monday evening at the residence of a local Congressman and went to his room at the resort. On Tuesday morning, when Congress workers knocked on his door, there was no response. They broke open the door to find him motionless. He was later declared dead.

A staunch follower of Siddaramaiah, he followed him from the Janata Dal (S) to the Congress and worked hard to build up whichever party he represented. Prasad's organisation skills were such that the JD(S) strength in Chamarajanagar district moved to the Congress along with him.He was the minister for Kannada and culture in the Dharam Singh ministry of 2004, food and civil supplies minister in the HD Kumaraswamy government before he joined Siddaramaiah.


“Death is uncertain. He was a very efficient minister. I have never seen him get angry with anyone. I have lost a wonderful colleague, one of my personal friends,” Siddaramaiah said.