18 Facts About Dharam Singh

Dharam Narayan Singh was an Indian politician who served as the 11th Chief Minister of Karnataka from 28 May 2004 to 28 January 2006 and Member of the Lok Sabha from Bidar Lok Sabha constituency, in 15th Lok Sabha from 2009 to 2014.

Dharam Singh was the 18th President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee and he was the nine-term Member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from Jevaragi constituency.

Dharam Singh was born in Nelogi village of Jevargi taluk.

Dharam Singh was from Rajput family, who are minority community in Karnataka.

Dharam Singh obtained his master's and law degrees from Osmania University, Hyderabad.

Dharam Singh was brought up under the influence of Bhim Sena founder B Shyam Sunder who was a legislator to Hyderabad State and served as its Deputy speaker.

Dharam Singh was the Secretary of Hyderabad Karnataka Youth League, and his election agent in 1957, and issued a pamphlet in Urdu to vote in his favour.

Dharam Singh has served as a minister under various chief ministers such as Devaraj Urs, R Gundu Rao, S Bangarappa, M Veerappa Moily and S M Krishna, and has handled diverse portfolios such as Home, Excise, Social Welfare, Urban Development and Revenue.

Dharam Singh was KPCC president in the 1990s when his party was out of power.

At that time, the Congress' national leadership was headed by Sitaram Kesri, of whom Dharam Singh was said to be a favourite.

Dharam Singh lost out to his senior colleague S M Krishna in the race to the Chief Minister's post in 1999.

Dharam Singh was sworn in as Chief Minister on 28 May 2004.

Dharam Singh was the second leader from Kalaburgi to become Chief Minister after Veerendra Patil.

Dharam Singh was criticised for not being assertive in the sense of coming from minority community and further allowing the JD supremo to join hands, which was their junior partner in coalition to call the shots in the government.

Kumaraswamy, Dharam Singh was the Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.

However, Dharam Singh had to bite dust in 2014 Lok Sabha election when he lost to Bhagwant Khuba by over a lakh votes, which ended his political career.

Dharam Singh died on 27 July 2017 due to cardiac arrest in Bengaluru, aged 80.

Dharam Singh was cremated with State Honours and by Rajput Tradition.