New Delhi, Dec 16 (NationPress) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday conveyed heartfelt birthday wishes to Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, highlighting that his contributions in the steel and heavy industries are vital in fortifying India’s journey towards Aatmanirbharta.

The Prime Minister expressed his greetings via the social media platform X, stating, “Birthday wishes to Union Minister Shri H.D. Kumaraswamy.”

In his message, he praised the Union Minister’s efforts, saying, “Through his work in the steel and heavy industries, he is bolstering our initiatives towards Aatmanirbharta. I wish him a long and healthy life dedicated to serving society,”.

H.D. Kumaraswamy, also known as Haradanahalli Deve Gowda Kumaraswamy, is a seasoned politician and a significant figure in the Janata Dal (Secular). He has previously held the position of the 18th Chief Minister of Karnataka and currently serves as the Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Minister of Steel in the Central government.

He represents the Channapatna constituency as a sitting Member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly (MLA), a seat he secured during the 2023 Assembly elections. Kumaraswamy is the son of H.D. Deve Gowda, who served as both Chief Minister of Karnataka and Prime Minister of India, contributing significantly to state and national politics over the years.

His political journey began during the 1996 General Elections, when he was elected to the 11th Lok Sabha representing the Kanakapura constituency. Although he faced early challenges, including a loss in the 1998 elections, his fortunes changed in 2004 when he successfully contested from the Ramanagara constituency.

After a hung Assembly in 2004, a coalition government was formed between the Congress and JD(S), with Kumaraswamy elected to represent the Ramanagara Assembly segment.

In January 2006, he was invited by then Governor T.N. Chaturvedi to form the government following a power-sharing agreement with the BJP. He took office as the Chief Minister of Karnataka on February 4, 2006, serving until October 8, 2007, before stepping down without transferring power to the BJP as per their agreement.

Following his tenure, Kumaraswamy was re-elected to the Lok Sabha, marking his second term. He became the Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on May 31, 2013, and was re-elected as the Karnataka State President of JD(S) in November 2014.

The 2018 Karnataka Assembly elections also resulted in a divided mandate. Garnering support from the Congress party, Kumaraswamy took office as Chief Minister on May 23, 2018, but resigned on July 23, 2019, after the collapse of the JD(S)-Congress coalition government.

In the recent 2023 Assembly elections, he won from the Channapatna constituency on a JD(S) ticket and later secured the Mandya Lok Sabha seat, leading to his induction into the Modi 3.0 Cabinet. He currently holds the positions of Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Minister of Steel.