Haliyal's son RV Deshpande returns to Assembly for a record eighth time

Bengaluru: Among 222 candidates elected to the Legislative Assembly on May 12, outgoing industries minister R V Deshpande, returned for a record 8th time to the Legislative Assembly from Haliyal, is the senior most member.

He also holds the record as longest serving industries minister-between 1994 and 2004-and subsequently during the reign of Chief Minister Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

He held portfolios of higher education and tourism briefly in the same government, and piloted several initiatives for development of education and tourism sectors.

Prior to Assembly polls in 2013, he was chief of the state unit of Congress, and marched along with party legislators to Ballari, demanding a CBI probe into the illegal mining scam. He also occupied the post of leader of the Opposition in early '90s.

Mr Deshpande was first elected to the Assembly on a ticket of erstwhile Janata Party in 1983 and joined the ministry of the late chief minister Mr Ramakrishna Hegde.

He joined Congress in 1999 on the eve of Assembly elections that year.