Mangaluru:  Former Union Minister V. Dhananjay Kumar died at a private hospital in Mangaluru on Monday afternoon. He was 69 and is survived by wife, a son and a daughter.

Kumar, who was suffering from a kidney related ailment, was admitted to a hospital here in July, 2018. But his health deteriorated and he slipped into coma in December, 2018 and died of multi-organ failure yesterday at about 1.30 pm.

His body was kept in his residence in Kadri Kambla here on Tuesday morning to allow people to pay their last respects.

His last rites were conducted at his native place Venur in Belthangady taluk of Dakshina Kannada district this afternoon.

A lawyer by profession, he entered politics through Jan Sangh and severed the BJP as President of Mangaluru Assembly Segment, State President of Yuva Morcha and as Vice-President of Akhila Bharata Yuva Morcha. He contested the 1983 Assembly Election from Mangaluru Constituency and became the first BJP MLA from Dakshina Kannada district. He was however defeated in 1985.

He contested 1991 LS Polls from the then Mangaluru-Kodagu LS Constituency and became one of the first BJP MP to be elected from South India. From then on, he went on to win from Mangaluru in 1996, 1998 and 1999.

Kumar was made Union Minister in the 13-day rule of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Govt. in 1996. He was inducted as Union Minister of State for Finance in 1999 and Union Minister of State for Textiles from 2000 to 2003.

Kumar, a close associate of B.S. Yeddyurappa, was in the news in Oct.2012 for his abusive statements against the BJP Central leadership, which had removed Yeddyurappa from the CM’s post. He was then expelled by the BJP, following which he followed Yeddyurappa who launched the Karnataka Janatha Party (KJP). Kumar was even made the State President of KJP.

In Mar.2014 Kumar joined JD(S) and unsuccessfully contested from Udupi LS seat on a JD(S) ticket in 2014 LS polls. However, in 2017, Kumar joined the Congress party after holding talks with Rahul Gandhi. He was not active in politics over the past one year due to his failing health.