Ananth Kumar, Union Minister and senior BJP leader passes away this morning in Bengaluru. He was suffering from lung cancer and had returned from the US last month after his treatment that he was taking in New York.  At his last moments, his family was with him in the hospital. For now, the body is kept at his home in Basavanagudi. All the rituals will be taking place tomorrow, the body will be taken to Jagannath Bhavan, the BJP’s state office in Malleshwaram and from there it will be further taken to the National College grounds in Bengaluru for the last respects.

The cremation ceremony will take place at one pm tomorrow. Karnataka has announced a three-day state mourning and all the schools, colleges and offices will remain close today. To mark tribute of respect to the union minister the national flag will fly across the country. Our prime Minister Narendra Modi described him as an extraordinary leader, great administrator and a precious asset to the BJP government. 

HD Kumaraswamy, Karnataka Chief Minister expressed his grief, he said that I have lost a great friend in death of Mr kumar. He said, that kumar was a friend beyond politics and a value-based politician. Many other politicians expressed grief over his death, even Union Minister DV Sadananda Gowda expressed that “Shocked, it's unbelievable. My friend, brother Ananth Kumar is no more," he wrote on his social media handle.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also tweeted, “Deep sense of grief o hearing that Shri Ananth Kumar is no more with us. Served BJP all along. Bengaluru was in his head and heart, always. May god give his family the strength to bear with this loss. Politician leaders Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal from the opposition party also expressed their grief towards Ananth Kumar.

Ananth Kumar was born in middle class family on 22^nd July in 1959. He did his graduation from Karnataka university in bachelor’s degree of Arts from KS Arts college in Hubbali and he also completed his law degree from JSS law college in Mysore. Kumar had his special place in the heart of his dear ones and left his imprint as an active and dedicated politician figure.