S. Suresh Kumar
S. Suresh Kumar (born c. 1956) is an Indian politician and a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who has represented the Rajajinagar constituency in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly since 2008.[1] He has won the seat in consecutive elections, including the 2023 Karnataka Assembly election where he secured re-election as the incumbent MLA.[2][3] A law graduate and former advocate who began his career in 1981, Kumar participated in anti-Emergency protests before entering active politics with the BJP.[4] During his tenure, he served as the Minister for Primary and Secondary Education in the Government of Karnataka, advocating for reforms in government schools to address educational quality issues.[5] His long-standing representation of Rajajinagar, a Bengaluru urban constituency, underscores his focus on local governance and party loyalty amid Karnataka's competitive political landscape.[6]Early life and education
Family and early years
S. Suresh Kumar was born on 11 November 1955 in Bangalore.[7] He is the son of the late P. V. Suryanarayana Rao.[3][2] From a young age, Kumar associated himself with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, an organization that shaped his early ideological outlook.[7] Limited public details exist regarding his siblings or mother's background, reflecting the relatively private nature of his family life prior to his political prominence.[2]Academic background and early activism
S. Suresh Kumar completed his primary and secondary education in Malleswaram, Bangalore.[8] He earned a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree from MES College in Malleswaram.[8] Following his release from imprisonment during the Emergency period, he enrolled at Government Law College in Bangalore, from which he obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree, graduating with distinction.[8] These qualifications were pursued under the affiliation of Bangalore University.[2] Kumar's early activism began in childhood through involvement with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Introduced to RSS shakhas by his maternal uncle while in the fourth standard—around 1963 or 1964, given his birth year of 1955—he participated regularly from a young age, describing himself as having been "born" into the organization's ideological framework.[8][9] This formative engagement with RSS activities laid the groundwork for his lifelong commitment to its principles, influencing his subsequent political trajectory prior to formal entry into electoral politics.[8]Political career
Entry into politics and anti-Emergency role
S. Suresh Kumar's entry into politics occurred amid the nationwide resistance to the Emergency declared by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on June 25, 1975, which suspended fundamental rights, imposed press censorship, and enabled arbitrary arrests under laws like the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA). On June 26, 1975, the day after the declaration, he joined one of the earliest anti-Emergency protests in Karnataka at Mysore Bank Circle in Bengaluru, demonstrating against the regime's authoritarian measures.[10] Affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)—banned by the government on July 4, 1975—Kumar engaged in covert activities to highlight the Emergency's abuses, including efforts to inform international observers. In November 1975, at age 19, he was arrested in Bengaluru while attempting to hand a pamphlet detailing the regime's excesses to a foreign delegation. Following his detention, he faced brutal interrogation, including the "aeroplane" torture method—where his hands were bound behind his back and he was hoisted upward, inflicting severe pain—at High Grounds police station.[10][9] Kumar was then transferred to Bengaluru Central Jail, where he served 15 months in detention alongside key opposition figures such as L.K. Advani, Madhu Dandavate, Ramakrishna Hegde, J.H. Patel, and others, fostering networks that bolstered the underground resistance.[10][9] His imprisonment under MISA, without trial, exemplified the widespread crackdown on dissenters, yet it transformed him from a youthful agitator into a resolute political actor committed to restoring democratic norms. This formative period of opposition activism laid the groundwork for his later formal entry into electoral politics with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), forging his identity as a defender of civil liberties.[10]Electoral history in Rajajinagar
S. Suresh Kumar first contested the Rajajinagar Assembly constituency in the 2004 Karnataka Legislative Assembly election as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate but was defeated by the Indian National Congress (INC) incumbent N. L. Narendra Babu, securing 63,777 votes to Babu's 67,899, resulting in a margin of 4,122 votes.[11] Kumar achieved his first victory in the 2008 election, defeating INC candidate G. Padmavathi by a margin of 14,660 votes.[12] He retained the seat in the 2013 election, overcoming a challenge from Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP) candidate Shobha Karandlaje and securing victory as the incumbent Law Minister.[13] In 2018, Kumar won by a margin of 9,453 votes against INC's C.N. Ashwath Narayan, marking his third consecutive term.[14] Kumar's most recent success came in the 2023 election on May 10, where he defeated INC candidate Puttanna with 58,624 votes to Puttanna's 50,564, achieving a margin of 8,060 votes and securing a fourth consecutive term.[15][16]| Year | Candidate | Party | Votes | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | N. L. Narendra Babu (Winner) | INC | 67,899 | 4,122 |
| S. Suresh Kumar | BJP | 63,777 | ||
| 2008 | S. Suresh Kumar (Winner) | BJP | - | 14,660 |
| G. Padmavathi | INC | - | ||
| 2013 | S. Suresh Kumar (Winner) | BJP | - | - |
| 2018 | S. Suresh Kumar (Winner) | BJP | - | 9,453 |
| C.N. Ashwath Narayan | INC | - | ||
| 2023 | S. Suresh Kumar (Winner) | BJP | 58,624 | 8,060 |
| Puttanna | INC | 50,564 |