Bengaluru, Nov 25: Veteran politician Challakere Kareem Jaffer Sharief passed away in Bengaluru on Sunday. The 85 year old former union minister was hospitalised a few days back.
Born on November 3, 1933, in Chitradurga of erstwhile Mysore Kingdom, Sharief was best known for his tenure as the Railways Minister (1991-95) in the P V Narasimha Rao Cabinet.
He brought several railway projects to Bengaluru and is credited for handling the broad gauge conversion of the railway tracks across the country. Sherief represented the Bengaluru North Lok Sabha constituency without a break between 1977 and 1996.
Sharief, many times, wanted to enter the state politics and even cherished the dream of becoming chief minister. During his last days, Sharief fell out with the Congress as he felt he was being sidelined.
According to his close associate Mr. Sharief had been stressed out as he was busy preparing for the release of the Urdu translation of Moulana Abul Kalam Azad’s ‘India Wins Freedom’. “He had invited former President Pranab Mukherjee for the book release that was scheduled to be held at Palace Grounds on November 28,” he said.
Born in Challakere in Chitradurga district of Karnataka on November 3, 1933, Mr. Sharief was the Railway Minister in the Narasimha Rao government (1991-95). He represented the Bengaluru North Constituency.
A seven-time Member of Parliament, Mr. Sharief began his political career in the Congress under guidance of the former Chief Minister of Karnataka, the late S Nijalingappa. After the Congress split in 1969, he joined the Congress led by Indira Gandhi.
He became a member of the Lok Sabha in the elections held soon after Emergency in 1977. He was a member of the 6th, 7th, 8th , 9th, 10th , 12th and 13th Lok Sabhas.
His last Lok Sabha election was in 2009, in which he was defeated by BJP’s D.B. Chandre Gowda in the Bengaluru North constituency.
As the Railway Minister, he was instrumental in gauge conversion (meter gauge to broad gauge) of railways in Karnataka. He played a vital role in getting the Wheel and Axle Plant in Bengaluru.
Congress leaders across the State have condoled the death of the senior leader of the party.
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