Ex-CM and JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy undergoes heart surgery at Chennai hospital

Bengaluru: Former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Thursday underwent a “successful” heart surgery at Chennai’s Apollo Hospital, his son and JD(S) leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy said.

This was the 64-year-old JD(S) state President’s third such procedure after the ones in December 2007 and September 2017.

“With the wishes of fans, well-wishers, all JD(S) workers, people of the state, and by the grace of god, my father is healthy,” Nikhil posted on ‘X’.

“Heartfelt thanks on behalf of our family to everyone who prayed for my father’s health. We are indebted to your love and trust,” he added.

Kumaraswamy’s brother H D Revanna, a former minister, said he would be back in Bengaluru on March 25 and thereafter undertake campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls. Kumaraswamy, a diabetic, on Tuesday said there is a flaw in his arteries’ functioning since he was born.

“These tissue valves were put two times in the past, whose life span is 9-10 years. Issues had cropped up during my Israel visit (2017) ten years after the first valve was put. The second one has been damaged in six years, because after treatment, within 15-20 days, I started travelling to organise the party for the 2018 assembly polls,” he said, stating that the hectic schedule might have had an adverse impact.

This time doctors have assured him that advanced treatment is available, he further said, adding that a doctor had also flown in from the USA, who is the student of his brother-in-law and noted cardiologist Dr C N Manjunath. Kumaraswamy had suffered a stroke in August last year.