# V. Muniyappa

Vadigenahalli Munishamappa Muniyapppa (born 20 April 1947) is an Indian politician who was the Minister of the Sericulture Department (1991), Minister of Energy (1993) and Minister of Mines & Geology (1999) in the cabinet of S. Bangarappa, Veerappa Moily, and S. M. Krishna, respectively. Currently, he is a Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Sidlaghatta Constituency. He has been contesting MLA elections from Sidlaghatta (Vidhana Sabha constituency) of Chikkaballapur district since 1983 as a candidate of the Indian National Congress. He is one of the senior leaders of the Indian National Congress in Karnataka and has been elected six times as a Member of the Legislative Assembly from Sidlaghatta. He was selected as a candidate to contest MLA nine times and once for Member of Parliament (1996).

## Personal life

V. Muniyappa was born in an orthodox agricultural family and was the eldest son of V. Munishamappa (who was also an ex-village Panchayath chairman) and Smt. Pillamma born in the village of Handiganala village of Sidlaghatta taluk, which was part of the undivided Kolar district (now in Chikkaballapur District). V. Muniyappa is married to Smt. Ratnamma and they have two sons and a daughter.
V. Muniyappa completed his schooling in Sidlaghatta Govt. school, and completed his matriculation in government school of Kolar, and studied Bachelor of science (B.Sc.) in Chintamani degree college and was active worker of national students union of India while pursuing his studies.

## Political career

V. Muniyappa began his political career as a National Students Union of India (NSUI) worker while pursuing his studies at Taluk agricultural products co-operative Marketing society (TAPCMS) in 1967, then becoming Director of PLD Bank twice.
His participation in social issues led Congress party to offer V. Muniyappa as a Youth Congress Taluk President in 1970–71, following Block Congress President in 1975-83 which helped Congress party to reach grass root level. In 1983 he was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly for the first time. He was elected 3 consecutive years as a member of the legislative assembly in the years 1989, 1994, and in the year 1999. He was made Minister of Sericulture department, and Minister of Energy in cabinet of Shri. S. Bangarappa and Shri. Veerappa Moily respectively. In 1999 he was a cabinet minister of Minister of Mines & Geology in Shri. S. M. Krishna's government. At the time, V. Muniyappa focused on addressing problems like roads, primary health care centers, power plants and holistic developments. In 2004, the Congress high command made him a General Secretary of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, Member of AICC to rejuvenate Congress party all over the state. In 2013, he was chosen as Vice President of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee.
V. Muniyappa contributed in the initiation of a water reserve provision budget and formation of a water reserve provision panel. V. Muniyappa supported a bike rally from Sidlaghatta during Shri. Siddaramaiah’s government, in which he was Vice President of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee. In 2018 he was elected as Member of the Legislative Assembly for the sixth time. In 2019, The Congress-JDS allied government selected him as a Political Secretary to Chief Minister of Karnataka. During the COVID-19 crisis, he supported the prevention of COVID-19 cases in Sidlaghatta.

## Organizational activities and social service

* 1963-1967 Active participant in National Students Union of India (NSUI)
* 1967-1968 President of Taluk agricultural products co-operative Marketing society (TAPCMS)
* 1968-1978 Director of PLD Bank (Two consecutive terms)
* 1970-1975 Shidlagatta Youth Congress Taluk President
* 1975-1983 Block Congress President

## Mainstream politics

* 1983-1985 First time elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly
* 1989-1994 Second time Member of the Legislative Assembly and Minister of Sericulture department (1991) and Minister of Energy (1993)
* 1994-1999 Only Congress Member of the Legislative Assembly elected from undivided Kolar, Chikkaballapur, District and served as General Secretary of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee.
* 1999-2004 Minister of Mines & Geology and Ground Water development
* 2004-2008 General Secretary of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, Member of AICC
* 2008-2013 Member of the Legislative Assembly for 5th time.
* 2013-2018 Vice President of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee and Party In-Charge to Shimoga, Davanagere, Koppal, Chitradurga and Mangalore (5 District)
* 2018 Elected as 6th Member of the Legislative Assembly time & worked as a Political Secretary to Chief Minister of Karnataka in cabinet of H. D. Kumaraswamy