Karnataka CM Yediyurappa seeks details of state council Dy Chairman Dharme Gowda's death

In a shocking incident, Deputy Speaker of Legislative Council SL Dharme Gowda's dead body was found on a railway track near Kadur in Chikkamagaluru on Tuesday. As per news agency ANI, a suicide note has been recovered as well. 

According to sources, the JDS leader on Monday evening at around 4 pm had visited Chikkamagaluru in a Santro Car. The sources further revealed that SL Dharme Gowda spoke to a few people and also gathered information about the train timings in the area. Later he asked his driver to stay back in the car and told him that he is going to get water. After that, he didn't return, said the sources. The body of the Deputy Chairman of the Karnataka Legislative Council will be taken to Shimoga for final rites. 

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Political leaders condole SL Dharme Gowda's death 

Reacting to the news, Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa took to Twitter and said that the news of the demise of  Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council, SL Dharme Gowda, was shocking. He said, "Can't believe it. His tragic end as a legislator and as deputy speaker has been very sad. I am getting details of the incident from senior officials." Seeking goodness for his soul, the Karnataka CM also said that may god give strength to his family and fans for enduring this pain. 

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Former Prime Minister of India and JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda while expressing grief said, "It is shocking to learn the news of Deputy Speaker of the State Legislative Council and JDS leader SL Dharme Gowda suicide. He was a calm and decent man. This is the loss of the state."

Karnataka Minister of Social Welfare B Sriramulu said, "The news of the untimely demise of Shri SL Dharme Gowda, the Vice-Chairperson of the Vidhan Sabha, is very sad. I pray to the Lord that his soul may be well."

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Gowda was in the news recently after the main opposition Congress members manhandled him in the Upper House for trying to chair the session illegally. He was dragged from the chair (the seat of the Chairman) by some Congress members alleging he had joined hands with the ruling BJP to unconstitutionally unseat the Upper House Chairman Pratap Chandra Shetty, who is from the Congress.

About SL Dharme Gowda

The 65-year-old was known to have close links with party supremo, H D Deve Gowda. In 2018, he has elected unopposed and his selection for the post came as a surprise as there was speculation that senior JDS member K.T Srikante Gowda would be the party nominee, according to media reports. He is the brother of S.L. Bhoje Gowda, also a Legislative Council member and a close aide of former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy. His father S.R. Lakshmaiah was a three-time legislator from Birur constituency.

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