Former MLA and Congress leader R.V. Devaraj passes away
Bengaluru, December 1, 2025
Former Karnataka legislator and senior Congress leader R. V. Devraj passed away today in Mysore. The veteran politician was born on 3 December 1957 in Bangalore.
Devraj served as the chairman of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) from 2000 to October 2007. He was elected as Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Chamarajpet constituency. After delimitation, he contested from Chickpet. In 2016, he was appointed Chairman of the Karnataka Slum Development Board. Throughout his career, Devraj was associated with the Indian National Congress (INC), serving in various organisational roles including as part of the state leadership.
Devraj’s spanning decades saw him in positions that had direct influence over public transport and urban development, especially in Bengaluru and Karnataka at large. His service as KSRTC chairman and later as head of the Slum Development Board reflect his engagement with infrastructure and social issues. Among supporters and constituents, he was seen as a seasoned leader with grassroots connections — having started his political journey via youth and local level organisation before rising to state-level roles.
In recent years, after the delimitation of his earlier constituency, Devraj contested from Chickpet. In the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections, however, he was defeated by Uday B. Garudachar, of the rival party. This reflected shifting political currents in urban Bengaluru, with rising contestation and changing voter dynamics in old city constituencies such as Chickpet and Chamarajpet.
R. V. Devraj’s passing marks the end of an era for a politician who saw — and helped shape — many phases of Bengaluru’s growth and Karnataka’s urban and social governance. From public transport to slum development, his roles touched many aspects of civic life. As Karnataka reflects on his legacy, his contributions will be remembered by colleagues, citizens, and political contemporaries alike.
