Union Minister Sadananda Gowda collapses due to low blood sugar, hospitalised

Union Minister DV Sadananda Gowda collapsed due to low blood sugar in Chitradurga while on his way to the city from Shivamogga on Sunday, and has been admitted to a hospital in Bengaluru, official sources said.

Gowda (67) is currently stable and is undergoing further tests and treatment at a private hospital.

The Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers was brought to Aster CMI hospital at 4:45 PM on Sunday. His condition is stable and will be kept under observation for the next 24 hours, the hospital's spokesperson said in a statement.

"He is stable, blood and other parameters are normal. There is nothing to worry. We will keep him under observation for 24 hours. The cause of the giddiness was due to low sugar level," Dr Brinda, physician at the hospital, told reporters.

Gowda in a tweet said his health was stable. "Due to low sugar, I was a bit tired. I'm fine now. All parameters,including Echo, ECG are normal. I thank all those who wished for my good health," he tweeted.

The minister was first admitted to a hospital in Chitradurga and later shifted by an ambulance through zero traffic management, to a private hospital in Bengaluru. Zero traffic management is a privilege that allows convoys of VVIPs to pass through roads where movement of other vehicles is temporarily halted.

The Minister was on his way to Bengaluru from Shivamogga after attending a State BJP meeting. He collapsed after greeting party workers and leaders in Chitradurga, where he had a stop over for lunch at a hotel this afternoon, sources said.

Gowda, a former Chief Minister of Karnataka, was immediately rushed to the Basaveshwara Medical College and Hospital in Chitradurga. After treatment there, he recovered and spoke to BJP leaders and family members over phone.

He was subsequently shifted to the hospital in Bengaluru. Gowda's son Karthik told reporters that low blood sugar led to the incident. "He is fine now," he added.