‘May his soul attain peace’: DK Shivakumar expresses grief over demise of veteran Congress leader RV Devaraj

BENGALURU: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has expressed deep grief over the death of senior Congress leader and former Chikkapete MLA RV Devaraj, who passed away after suffering a heart attack in Mysuru.

In a post on X, Shivakumar said that Devaraj’s contributions to the Chikkapete constituency through politics and social service are “immeasurable”.

“The news of the passing of Shri R.V. Devaraj, former MLA of Chikkapete and senior Congress leader, has brought profound sorrow. His contributions to the Chikkapete constituency through politics and social service are immeasurable. His departure has caused a great loss to the state’s politics and the Chikkapete constituency. May Devaraj’s soul attain peace. I pray that the Almighty grants strength to his family members and admirers to bear this grief. Om Shanti,” Dy CM said in a X post on Monday.

ಚಿಕ್ಕಪೇಟೆ ಮಾಜಿ ಶಾಸಕ ಮತ್ತು ಹಿರಿಯ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ನಾಯಕ ಶ್ರೀ ಆರ್.ವಿ.ದೇವರಾಜ್ ಅವರ ನಿಧನದ ಸುದ್ದಿ ತೀವ್ರ ದುಃಖ ತಂದಿದೆ. ರಾಜಕೀಯ ಮತ್ತು ಸಮಾಜಸೇವೆ ಮೂಲಕ ಚಿಕ್ಕಪೇಟೆ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಕ್ಕೆ ಅವರ ಕೊಡುಗೆ ಅಪಾರ. ಅವರ ಅಗಲಿಕೆಯಿಂದಾಗಿ ರಾಜ್ಯ ರಾಜಕಾರಣ ಮತ್ತು ಚಿಕ್ಕಪೇಟೆ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಕ್ಕೆ ದೊಡ್ಡ ನಷ್ಟ ಉಂಟಾಗಿದೆ. ದೇವರಾಜ್ ಅವರ ಆತ್ಮಕ್ಕೆ ಶಾಂತಿ… pic.twitter.com/SeIDjsDk21

— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) December 1, 2025

Senior Congress leader suffered a severe heart attack after visiting Chamundi Hills in Mysuru, where he had gone for prayers and performed pooja. He was rushed to Apollo Hospital but was declared dead on arrival on Monday.

He has held key organisational roles in the Congress party, including as general secretary of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) and as a member of the All India Congress Committee (AICC). Devraj also represented the Chamarajpet constituency as an MLA. Following the delimitation of Chamarajpet, he contested from Chikkapete as the Congress candidate.

The 67-year-old veteran leader also served as chairman of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) from 2000 until October 2007, and in 2016 he was appointed chairman of the Karnataka Slum Development Board. (ANI)