Bengaluru: Former Hassan MLA H.S. Prakash (68) passed away at a Bengaluru hospital this morning following brief illness. He leaves behind his wife, two sons and a daughter.

Prakash was a four term JD(S) MLA from Hassan, having won in 1994, 2004, 2008 and 2013.

Prakash, who entered the Assembly for the first time in 1994, lost the election in 1999 and returned back to score a hat-trick of wins in 2004, 2008 and 2013.

He, however, lost to Preetham Gowda of the BJP in the May 2018 Assembly polls.