Bengaluru, November 13: The last rites of Union Minister Ananth Kumar, who passed away in the wee hours of Monday, will be performed today in Bengaluru. The funeral procession will begin from Kumar's home, where the mortal remains were brought at 7am in the morning. Politicians, civil society members and supporters of the late BJP veteran are arriving at his residence to pay their final tributes.

Kumar, 59, died at the Shankara Cancer Hospital at 2am yesterday. He was battling pancreatic cancer for the past few months -- and was put on life support after his health drastically deteriorated. The deceased lawmaker is survived by his wife and two daughters. Ananth Kumar: An Able Political Organiser Who Made BJP a Formidable Force in Karnataka.

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Leaders cutting across party lines paid homage to Kumar on his shock demise, with Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy declaring a 3-day mourning period. A one-day holiday was also declared in the state on Tuesday as a mark of respect.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled Kumar, his Cabinet colleague, as a person whose life was dedicated to the nation. "Extremely saddened by the passing away of my valued colleague and friend, Shri Ananth Kumar Ji. He was a remarkable leader, who entered public life at a young age and went on to serve society with utmost diligence and compassion. He will always be remembered for his good work," he said.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi also paid condolences on Twitter:

Kumar, serving as the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs in the incumbent BJP government till his death, was also part of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Cabinet.

He is credited for strengthening the BJP in Karnataka, as he played a stellar role for the party when it won 80 seats for the first time in 2003.

Kumar's political journey dates back to the days of Emergency. He made forays into national politics after winning the Bengaluru South Lok Sabha constituency in 1991. He continued to  win the parliamentary seat for six terms in a row.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 13, 2018 09:01 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).