Ramakrishna Hegde
Encyclopedia
Ramakrishna Mahabaleshwar Hegde (b. August 29, 1926 - d. January 12, 2004) was an India
n politician who served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka for three terms and as Minister of Commerce and Industry
in the Union government.
by profession. He participated in the Quit India Movement
of 1942 (Indian freedom struggle) and was an active member of the Congress Party
. He became the president of the Uttara Kannada District Congress Committee from 1954 to 1957 and rose to become the general secretary of the Mysore Pradesh Congress Committee in 1958, a post he held until 1962. Much of his early administrative experience was built up during the governments of S. Nijalingappa
(1957–58 and 1962–68) and Veerendra Patil
(1968–71) in Karnataka, during which he held portfolios such as Cooperation and Development, Panchayati Raj between 1962 and 1965, Finance, Excise and Prohibition, and Information and Publicity between 1965 and 1967.
becoming its general secretary. The Janata Party came to power as the single largest party in the 1983 State elections, and Hegde emerged as a compromise candidate between the powerful Lingayat and Vokkaliga
lobbies. He won his government a two-thirds majority by an arrangement of outside support. He secured the support of 18 members of the Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP), six of the Communist Party of India and Communist Party of India (Marxist), and 16 Independents.
Following the poor performance of the Janata Party in the 1984 elections (it won only four out of the 28 seats), Hegde resigned on the grounds that his party had lost its popular mandate. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi allowed him to head a caretaker government. In the 1985 elections the Janata Party came to power with a comfortable majority.
Hegde's rule was mired with several `scams' involving alleged corruption on the part of his own family. His son was accused of taking money for a medical seat. There were allegations made by the Congress (I) against him in a case involving the transfer of shares by the NGEF company. He resigned twice from chief ministership, the first time in February 1986 when the Karnataka High Court censured his government for the way it handled arrack bottling contracts, and again in August 1988 when he accepted moral responsibility for the tapping of the telephones of prominent politicians in the State. Among private circles he was popular for his 'womanizing' habits. It was said to have had a private cabare of his own.
He became the first non-Congress chief minister of Karnataka
with the support of BJP. First from January 10, 1983 - December 29, 1984 followed by term from March 8, 1985 - February 13, 1986 and finally from February 16, 1986 - August 10, 1988. He has the rare distinction of presenting thirteen finance budgets in the State assembly.
He was also the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission of India, during the time of V. P. Singh
. He was expelled from Janata Dal by its president Lalu Prasad Yadav, as per the instructions of then Prime minister H. D. Deve Gowda. Ramakrishna Hegde formed 'Rashtreeya Nava nirmana vedike' a social organisation and then 'Lokashakti'. He became the commerce minister in the BJP lead NDA government.
He acted in many dramas and movies such as 'Marana Mrudanga'. He was also the political mentor of a lot many politicians. At the age of 77 due to poor health Ramakrishna Hegde died in Bangalore on January 12, 2004. His wife Smt. Shakuntala Hegde unsuccessfully contested for Rajyasabha as a candidate of BJP.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n politician who served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka for three terms and as Minister of Commerce and Industry
Minister of Commerce and Industry (India)
The Minister of Commerce and Industry is the head of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and one of the cabinet ministers of the Government of India....
in the Union government.
Early life
His father's name was Mahabaleshwar Hegde and his mother was Saraswati Hegde. He was a lawyerLawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
by profession. He participated in the Quit India Movement
Quit India Movement
The Quit India Movement , or the August Movement was a civil disobedience movement launched in India in August 1942 in response to Mohandas Gandhi's call for immediate independence. Gandhi hoped to bring the British government to the negotiating table...
of 1942 (Indian freedom struggle) and was an active member of the Congress Party
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
. He became the president of the Uttara Kannada District Congress Committee from 1954 to 1957 and rose to become the general secretary of the Mysore Pradesh Congress Committee in 1958, a post he held until 1962. Much of his early administrative experience was built up during the governments of S. Nijalingappa
S. Nijalingappa
Siddavanahalli Nijalingappa was a senior Congress politician and the Chief Minister of Karnataka between 1956 and 1958 and once again between 1962 and 1968...
(1957–58 and 1962–68) and Veerendra Patil
Veerendra Patil
Veerandra Patil was Chief Minister of Karnataka state of India twice. The first time was from 1968 - 1971; and the second time was almost 20 years later from 1989 - 1990. He was elected several times from Chincholi assembly constituency of Gulbarga district to Karnataka state legislative assembly...
(1968–71) in Karnataka, during which he held portfolios such as Cooperation and Development, Panchayati Raj between 1962 and 1965, Finance, Excise and Prohibition, and Information and Publicity between 1965 and 1967.
Career
In the famous split in the Congress in 1969, Hegde joined the Congress (O). He was Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council for a few years until 1974. The 1975 Emergency crackdown on opposition leaders saw his arrest along with other state and national level leaders. When the emergency was lifted he joined the Janata PartyJanata Party
The Janata Party was an amalgam of Indian political parties opposed to the state of emergency imposed by the government of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her Indian National Congress...
becoming its general secretary. The Janata Party came to power as the single largest party in the 1983 State elections, and Hegde emerged as a compromise candidate between the powerful Lingayat and Vokkaliga
Vokkaliga
The Vokkaligas are an Indian caste or social group found mainly in the Old Mysore Region of southern Karnataka state. In Tamil Nadu they are known as Okkaligar and use Gowder as a title...
lobbies. He won his government a two-thirds majority by an arrangement of outside support. He secured the support of 18 members of the Bharatiya Janata Party
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
(BJP), six of the Communist Party of India and Communist Party of India (Marxist), and 16 Independents.
Following the poor performance of the Janata Party in the 1984 elections (it won only four out of the 28 seats), Hegde resigned on the grounds that his party had lost its popular mandate. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi allowed him to head a caretaker government. In the 1985 elections the Janata Party came to power with a comfortable majority.
Hegde's rule was mired with several `scams' involving alleged corruption on the part of his own family. His son was accused of taking money for a medical seat. There were allegations made by the Congress (I) against him in a case involving the transfer of shares by the NGEF company. He resigned twice from chief ministership, the first time in February 1986 when the Karnataka High Court censured his government for the way it handled arrack bottling contracts, and again in August 1988 when he accepted moral responsibility for the tapping of the telephones of prominent politicians in the State. Among private circles he was popular for his 'womanizing' habits. It was said to have had a private cabare of his own.
He became the first non-Congress chief minister of Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
with the support of BJP. First from January 10, 1983 - December 29, 1984 followed by term from March 8, 1985 - February 13, 1986 and finally from February 16, 1986 - August 10, 1988. He has the rare distinction of presenting thirteen finance budgets in the State assembly.
He was also the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission of India, during the time of V. P. Singh
V. P. Singh
Vishwanath Pratap Singh was the seventh Prime Minister of India and the 41st Raja Bahadur of Manda.-Early life:...
. He was expelled from Janata Dal by its president Lalu Prasad Yadav, as per the instructions of then Prime minister H. D. Deve Gowda. Ramakrishna Hegde formed 'Rashtreeya Nava nirmana vedike' a social organisation and then 'Lokashakti'. He became the commerce minister in the BJP lead NDA government.
He acted in many dramas and movies such as 'Marana Mrudanga'. He was also the political mentor of a lot many politicians. At the age of 77 due to poor health Ramakrishna Hegde died in Bangalore on January 12, 2004. His wife Smt. Shakuntala Hegde unsuccessfully contested for Rajyasabha as a candidate of BJP.