Karnataka Elections 2023: JD(S) Candidate Shivananda Patil Dies of Heart Attack

The Janata Dal (Secular) leaders who have been preparing for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections faced a big shock on Friday night as their party colleague Shivananda Patil passed away. The 54-year-old politician, who was a JD(S) candidate from the Sindagi constituency in Vijayapura district, suffered a heart attack and died at a private hospital in Sindagi town.

Surprisingly, just a day before his death, Shivananda had been touring the state as part of the party’s Pancharatna Yatra, a tour-based campaign promising the people a five-fold programme if JD(S) was elected to power. He was seen with JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy during the Pancharatna Yatra held in Vijayapura city and Nagathan constituency.

But, after finishing the yatra and coming back to Sindagi in the evening, Shivananda Patil suffered a heart attack. His supporters rushed him to a nearby private hospital where he was being treated. Shivananda, however, passed away at the hospital.

On January 18, Sivananda Patil organised a huge convention in Sindagi and campaigned heavily. HD Kumaraswamy also participated in the programme. Kumaraswamy condoled Shivananda’s death on Twitter. “The untimely death of Mr Sivananda Patil, the party candidate for Sindagi Assembly constituency, has deeply shocked me,” tweeted HD Kumaraswamy.

“Mr Patil, who retired after selfless service in the Indian Army, had an irrepressible desire for social service. He had excellent organizational skills, and dynamism and became very dear to me within a short time of his acquaintance,” Kumaraswamy added.

Shivananda Patil, who had served in the Army for 16 years and retired, was identified as a strong candidate in his constituency. Kumaraswamy himself had praised him and announced his candidature from the party.

JD(S) has already released the list of 93 candidates for the Karnataka Assembly elections 2023 scheduled to be held in April-May this year. The regional party has never formed a government on its own in Karnataka since it was founded, but HD Kumaraswamy served as chief minister of the state twice, once in 2006-2007 and then in 2018-2019.

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