D. Devaraj Urs

His father, also named Devaraj Arasu, was a land-owner and his mother, Devira Ammanni, was a pious and traditional lady.

Arasu was married to 11-year-old Chikkammanni (or Chikka Ammani), a girl from his own community and from a suitable family, in a match arranged by their parents when he was almost 15.

After completing his education, Arasu returned to Kallahalli and engaged himself in agriculture, overseeing the extensive lands owned by his family.

Arasu easily won a seat to the state legislature and served as a member of the legislative assembly for ten years (two successive terms).

The Congress (O), under S. Nijalingappa, Veerendra Patil, Ramakrishna Hegde and Deve Gowda dominated Karnataka electorally and had a majority in the state assembly, but Arasu declined an invitation to join it.

Most MLAs in his camp deserted him to re-join Congress(I) and Gundu Rao became Chief Minister in January 1980.

[5] When Mrs Gandhi swept to power in Delhi in January 1980, most of the MLAs backing him re-joined Congress(I).

[citation needed] In response to the prime minister's declaration that poverty was her first priority ("Garibi Hatao!")

Other schemes included the building of shelters for migrant workers; the forgiveness of rural debt; and, in a populist masterstroke, a plan to have an electric bulb in every house.

He had quarrelled with Indira Gandhi, and was appearing before the Supreme Court in Karnataka vs. Union of India, and thus felt the time was right to cut his losses and leave the Congress.

This was a miscalculation because although many legislators in Karnataka, Kerala and Goa went with him – such as A. K. Antony, Priyaranjan Das Munshi and K. P. Unnikrishnan – Mrs. Gandhi swept back to power at the national level and the fledgling Congress (Arasu) was routed.

Arasu subsequently joined the Janata Party, and his protégé Ramakrishna Hegde recaptured power in Karnataka from the Congress in 1984.

Devarj Arasu was the first backward classes person to hold the Chief Minister post in Karnataka during 1972-1977.

For previous 25 years i.e. from 1947 to 1972, erstwhile Mysuru state's Chief Minister post was held by persons only from either dominant Okkaliga or Lingayat communities.

Absorbing 16,000 unemployed graduates in the stipendiary scheme whose services were confirmed later, abolition of carrying night soil by Dalits and bonded labour.

Mysore district had the highest incidents of bonded labour in India during that time and the decision of the Arasu Government to abolish it was remarkable.

Sarekoppa Bangarappa, Veerappa Moily, Siddaramaiah in the Okkaliga and Lingayat communities dominated politics in Karnataka.