Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi visited Bengaluru on Tuesday to pay his last respects to senior Congress leader and AICC secretary Suraj Hegde, who passed away following a cardiac arrest late on Sunday night.
Rahul Gandhi visited Suraj Hegde’s residence on BEL Road, where the mortal remains were kept, and offered condolences to the bereaved family.
Congress leaders gather to pay respects
Rahul Gandhi was accompanied by Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
He met and consoled Suraj Hegde’s wife Shilpa and their two sons during the visit.
Also present were AICC general secretaries K. C. Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, along with several senior Congress leaders from Karnataka.
A key Congress organiser
Suraj Hegde, 55, was the grandson of former Karnataka Chief Minister D. Devaraj Urs and played an important organisational role within the Congress party.
He worked closely with Rahul Gandhi as the AICC secretary in charge of Puducherry and Tamil Nadu and was regarded as a trusted party strategist.
Hegde also served as the Vice Chairman of the Karnataka State Guarantees Implementation Committee, overseeing the implementation of several welfare initiatives of the state government.
Final rites to be held in Bengaluru
Several leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, Home Minister Priyank Kharge, MLA Dr Ajay Singh and KPCC President B. K. Hariprasad, also paid their respects.
The cremation is scheduled to take place at the Hebbal Crematorium on Tuesday afternoon.