Ramaiah Ashoka[2] (born 1 July 1957) is an Indian politician who served as the 6th Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka.[3][4] He is now currently serving as Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Legislative Assembly (2023-), previously served as the Deputy Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Legislative Assembly (2014 -2018), Minister of Revenue, Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Transport under the BJP government.[5] He has also served as the Minister of Health and Family Welfare under the coalition government of BJP and JDS.[6] He is a Seven-time MLA for Padmanabhanagar Assembly Constituency (before Delimitation Uttarahalli assembly constituency).
R. Ashoka | |
|---|---|
 R. Ashoka in 2020 | |
| Leader of the Opposition Karnataka Legislative Assembly | |
| Assumed office 17 November 2023 | |
| Chief Minister | Siddaramaiah |
| Preceded by | B. S. Bommai (Acting) |
| Minister of Revenue Government of Karnataka | |
| In office 20 August 2019 – 13 May 2023 | |
| Chief Minister | B. S. Yediyurappa Basavaraj Bommai |
| Preceded by | R. V. Deshpande |
| Minister of Municipal Administration Government of Karnataka | |
| In office 27 September 2019 – 10 February 2020 | |
| Chief Minister | B. S. Yediyurappa |
| Preceded by | R. Shankar |
| Succeeded by | Narayana Gowda |
| Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka | |
| In office 12 July 2012 – 13 May 2013 Serving with K. S. Eshwarappa | |
| Preceded by | B. S. Yediyurappa |
| Succeeded by | G. Parameshwara |
| Minister of Home Affairs Government of Karnataka | |
| In office 23 September 2010 – 13 May 2013 | |
| Chief Minister 2024 | B. S. Yediyurappa Sadananda Gowda Jagadish Shettar |
| Preceded by | V. S. Acharya |
| Succeeded by | K. J. George |
| Minister of Transport Government of Karnataka | |
| In office 30 May 2008 – 13 May 2013 | |
| Chief Minister | B. S. Yediyurappa Sadananda Gowda Jagadish Shettar |
| Preceded by | N. Chaluvaraya Swamy |
| Succeeded by | Ramalinga Reddy |
| Minister of Health & Family Welfare Government of Karnataka | |
| In office 18 February 2006 – 8 October 2007 | |
| Chief Minister | H. D. Kumaraswamy |
| Preceded by | N. Chaluvaraya Swamy |
| Succeeded by | B. Sriramulu |
| Member of Karnataka Legislative Assembly | |
| Assumed office May 2008 | |
| Preceded by | Seat established |
| Constituency | Padmanaba Nagar |
| In office 1998–2008 | |
| Preceded by | M. Srinivas |
| Succeeded by | Seat disestablished |
| Constituency | Uttarahalli |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 July 1957[1] Jalahalli, Mysore State, India |
| Political party | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| Spouse | Pramilarani (m. 1987) |
| Residence | Bangalore |
| Education | Bachelor of Science |
| Website | rashoka |
Early political career
During Emergency (1975–77), he was arrested and detained in prison along with veteran leaders like L.K. Advani at the Central Jail in Bengaluru. He was first elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly in the 1997 by-Elections from Uttarahalli, which was the biggest state legislature constituency in India before delimitation. He was re-elected from the same constituency in 1999 and 2004 Assembly elections with impressive margins. In the 2004 elections, he won by a margin of 84,001 votes which is the highest in any Karnataka Assembly election.[7]
Positions held
In 2008, he became the Minister of Health and family welfare in the Bharatiya Janata Party-Janata Dal (Secular) (BJP-JD(S)) coalition government. As a minister, he implemented novel schemes and also streamlined the administration of the department.[8]
As Minister of Transport in the Yeddyurappa Government from 2008 onwards, he was instrumental in modernizing the department and also using innovative hi-tech methods to automate the working of the department.[9]
When Jagadish Shettar became Chief Minister in June 2012, Ashoka was appointed one of the two Deputy chief ministers and entrusted with the ministries of Home and Transport in the Government of Karnataka.[10][11][12]
Ashoka is regarded as one of the most influential leaders of the BJP in Bangalore city and has steered the party to historic victories in the 2010 and 2015 BBMP elections.[13][14][15]
On 26 August 2019, Ashoka was appointed the Revenue Minister in Karnataka government excluding Muzrai.[16][17]