Ramesh Jigajinagi
Ramesh Chandappa Jigajinagi (born 28 June 1952) is an Indian politician from Karnataka and currently a member of Lok Sabha. He was Union Minister of State for Drinking Water and Sanitation in 2016. He was member of the Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth and Sixteenth Lok Sabha. He was inducted into PM, Narendra Modi's government as a Minister of State for Drinking Water & Sanitation on July 5, 2016. He represents the Bijapur constituency (2019-2024) and is currently a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party which he joined in 2002. He has also been a member of Janata  Dal and Ramakrishna Hegde's Vedike Party and Ram Vilas Paswan's Jan Shakti Party in 2001 when Hegde was planning to retire. Political career. Ramesh Jigajinagi was born on 28 June 1952 in Atharga village of Bijapur District in Karnataka to Chandappa and Bhoramma Jigajinagi. He is married to Shoba and has two sons. He completed his graduation from BLDEA's New Arts College, Bijapur in the faculty of Arts and later earned his master's degree as well. Ramesh hails from a Scheduled Caste community and has been able to retain support in the areas of northern Karnataka , even after switching alliances and parties. His electoral victory is significant, contesting and winning his seat against B. Shankaranand of the Indian National Congress'. Ramesh entered the 12th Lok Sabha with a margin of 1,31,238 votes. Initially, he joined the undivided Janata Dal under the mentorship of Ramakrishna Hegde. He remained in the Janta Dal and was a staunch supporter of Ramakrishna Hegde. When Ramakrishna Hegde floated the Rashtreeya Nava Nirmana Vedike, Ramesh Jigajinagi was among the earliest sitting MLAs to support him and join the new party by resigning his ministership. Later, he joined Lok Shakti, a party formed  by Ramakrishna Hegde and rejoined Janata Dal United after the merger of Lok Shakti with the former. After the death of his mentor, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.