Congress Leader Suraj Hegde Passes Away at 55 in Bengaluru
Senior Congress leader and All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary Suraj Hegde passed away late Sunday night in Bengaluru after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was around 55 years old. Hegde, who was the grandson of former Karnataka chief minister Devaraj Urs, died at a private hospital in the city.
At the time of his death, Hegde was serving as the vice chairman of the Karnataka government's Guarantee Committee. He was also a Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Vice-President. Earlier in his political career, Hegde had served as the national in-charge of the Indian Youth Congress.
His sudden demise triggered an outpouring of condolences from top Congress leaders across the country, who remembered him as an influential organiser, mentor, and committed party worker.
Chief minister DK Shivakumar expressed his grief over Hegde's passing, describing it as both a personal and organisational loss for the Congress party. Shivakumar shared his shock on the social media platform X.
"I am deeply shocked to learn of the sudden demise of my dear colleague Suraj Hegde, who served as AICC functionary, KPCC Vice-President, and Vice-Chairman of the State Guarantee Committee," Shivakumar wrote. He praised Hegde's organisational abilities and commitment to public welfare as unmatched, adding, "Today, we have lost an active leader who always maintained an excellent rapport with party workers."
Leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also mourned Hegde's death, noting that he worked with an unwavering belief in the party's ideals. Gandhi highlighted Hegde's contributions to the youth wing of the party.
"As AICC Secretary and Former In-charge of the Indian Youth Congress, he worked with a deep belief in the party's ideals. The Youth Congress was not just an assignment for him. He mentored young Indians who today carry forward the Congress's commitment to justice and democracy," Gandhi said in a post on X. Gandhi called the loss irreparable and offered condolences to Hegde's family, colleagues, and party workers.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also expressed deep sadness at the untimely death of Hegde, describing him as a young and prominent leader.
