Bidar: Veteran Congress leader and former president of the Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Lingayat Mahasabha, Bheemanna Khandre (103), passed away yesterday night at Bhalki in Bidar.

He is survived by two sons including Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre and Bidar DCC Bank President Amar Kumar Khandre — and four daughters. His other son, former MLA Vijayakumar Khandre, had predeceased him in 2019.

Last rites will be held at Shanti Dham in Bhalki this evening.

Bheemanna Khandre was suffering from age-related ailments and respiratory problems over the last few days and was admitted to a private hospital, but was shifted to his residence in Bhalki as per his wish recently.

Bheemanna entered public life in 1953 after becoming the first elected President of Bhalki Municipality. He won his maiden Assembly polls in 1962 and served four terms as an MLA and two terms as an MLC. He was a Transport Minister in CM Veerappa Moily’s Cabinet. He was also the Founding President of Bidar Cooperative Sugar Factory and Mahatma Gandhi Sugar Factory.