Karnataka Minister Mahadev Prasad: Rare politician liked by all

Mysuru:  Shaken and grieving, Minister Mahadev Prasad's wife, Dr Geetha  cried out loud, "How will I live without him!" as she tried to come to terms with his  sudden passing away. Recalling that he was  disciplined in his eating habits, she said she made sure to pack his medicines and food wherever he went.

"It was around 5.30pm on Monday that he left home. He usually called me at around 8pm, but did not that day.  I too didn't call him thinking he was busy. This morning I called him at around 8am, but he did not answer. He was fine until now. We never expected this!" she added in anguish.

The minister's  son,  32 -year- old Ganesh Prasad, who owns a petrol bunk, and is a partner in an M Sand unit, said his father was keen on him  joining politics and he had met him only Monday evening.

If Mr Mahadev Prasad's family has been left shocked by his death, his friend of four decades , Nizamuddin, who had accompanied him to Chikkamagalur and was in another room at the resort, where he was found dead, is no less shaken.  

"We were out with him on a tour at around 6pm on Monday and it was around the same time today that we took him from his house permanently," he observed sadly. Recalling the sequence of events on Monday, he said they reached the resort at 9pm and later had a meal of chapathis, and rasam and rice at the home of his close friend and former MLA,  I B Shankar in Chikkamagalur.

"After returning to the resort at around 10.15pm, he spent some time talking with us till 10.45pm. We were supposed to stay in the same room, but then as we  had got two rooms, I and Y.N. Shankaregowda slept in one, and he in another opposite ours. Usually   he would have coffee with us after his walk before he  got ready in the mornings, but did not turn up today.  We wondered why he had not woken up even by 8.30am and when we opened the door of his room at around 9 am,  were shocked to see his body was cold and he was no more," Mr Nizamuddin said.