Former union minister Babagouda Patil dead

BENGALURU: Former union minister and eminent farmer leader Babagouda Patil died at a hospital in Belagavi on Friday, family sources said.

The 76-year old leader was undergoing treatment at the KLES Dr Prabhakar Kore Hospital where he died, the sources said.

He is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters.

Born on January 6, 1945 at Chikka Bagewadi in Belagavi district, Patil did his BSc at RL Science Institute in Belagavi.

He became an independent MLA from Kittur in 1989 and he won the Lok Sabha election from Belgaum constituency on a BJP ticket in 1998.

Patil then became Minister of State for Rural Development (independent charge) in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.

Condoling his death, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said Babagouda Patil was at the forefront of the farmers' struggle and won elections from two Assembly constituencies.

"He was one of the founder members of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha who was always concerned about the farmers and worked towards their well being.

He had also served as the union minister in the A B Vajpayee government," the Chief Minister tweeted.

Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa said he was shocked to learn about the demise of Patil.

"Patil had entered politics through peasants struggle. He was one of the foremost farmer leaders in the country. May his soul rest in peace," Eshwarappa tweeted.