Debadrito Dutta at 03:44, 16 April 2026

2026-04-16T03:44:08Z

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{{short description|India politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = 
| image =
| caption =
| office = Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, [[Government of Karnataka]]
| term_start = 17 December 1994
| term_end = 10 August 1999
| predecessor =
| successor =
| office1 = Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj
| term_start1 =
| term_end1 =
| predecessor1 =
| successor1 =
| office2 = Minister for Forests
| term_start2 =
| term_end2 =
| predecessor2 =
| successor2 =
| office3 = Member of the [[Karnataka Legislative Council]]
| term_start3 = 1986
| term_end3 = 1998
| predecessor3 =
| successor3 =
| office4 = Member of the [[Karnataka Legislative Assembly]]
| term_start4 = 28 February 1978
| term_end4 = 6 January 1983
| predecessor4 = A. M. Bellaippa
| successor4 = M. M. Nanaiah
| constituency4 = [[Madikeri Assembly constituency|Madikeri]]
| party = [[Indian National Congress]] {{small|(2018–present)}}
| other_party = [[Janata Dal (Secular)]] [[All India Progressive Janata Dal]]<ref>{{cite news |title=I won't join Congress, says M.C. Nanaiah |url=http://www.hindu.com/2004/02/18/stories/2004021803180300.htm |access-date=2 May 2024 |work=The Hindu |date=18 February 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050329172730/http://www.hindu.com/2004/02/18/stories/2004021803180300.htm |archive-date=29 March 2005}}</ref> [[Janata Dal]] [[Janata Party]] [[Karnataka Kranti Ranga]]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1939|4|26|df=yes}}
| birth_place =
| spouse = Rupa
| children = 2
| occupation = {{hlist|Politician|lawyer}}
}}

'''Meriyanda Chengappa Nanaiah''' (born 26 April 1939) is an Indian politician and lawyer from the State of [[Karnataka]]. He held as multiple portfolios during his career including the Ministry of Law and Parliamentary Affairs as part of [[Deve Gowda ministry (Karnataka)|Deve Gowda ministry]] between 1994 and 1996. Nanaiah has been politically active for over 30 years.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/books/2010/apr/24/biography-of-an-honest-politician-149869.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190826043150/http://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/books/2010/apr/24/biography-of-an-honest-politician-149869.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 August 2019|title=Biography of an honest politician|date=24 April 2010|newspaper=The New Indian Express|access-date=20 September 2019}}</ref> He is five-time member of the [[Karnataka Legislative Council]],<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/ramakrishna-hegde-award-presented-to-m-c-nanaiah-400808.html|title=Ramakrishna Hegde award presented to M C Nanaiah|website=News18|access-date=26 August 2019}}</ref> and served once as the leader of the opposition in the Council. A book titled ''Nenapugalu Maasuva Munna'' (Before memories fade) (2005) has also been published by a journalist on Nanaiah's life.<ref name=":0" />

== Biography ==
Nanaiah's career in public life began in the [[Cooperative movement in India|cooperative sector]]. In 1962, he was elected president of the Cardamom Cooperative Society, a hitherto powerful body, in [[Kodagu]]. He contested the [[1967 Mysore State Legislative Assembly election|1967 Mysore election]] (now Karnataka) to the legislative assembly from [[Madikeri Assembly constituency|Madikeri]] as an [[Independent politician|independent]] candidate, and lost to the [[Indian National Congress]] (INC) candidate A. P. Appanna. Between 1970 and 1974, he served as president of the Madikeri City Municipal Council, before contesting Madikeri again in [[1978 Karnataka Legislative Assembly election|the 1978 election]] as an INC candidate. He defeated [[A. K. Subbaiah]] and was elected to the Assembly. During this time, Nanaiah also practised as a lawyer handling both civil and criminal cases. In 1980, he was appointed chairman of the Karnataka State Cooperative Marketing Federation. In the 1980s, he quit the party to join the [[Karnataka Kranti Ranga]] and was elected to the [[Karnataka Legislative Council]]. The following year, he was elected as a full-member of the Council, now as member of the [[Janata Party]].<ref name="th2">{{cite news |last1=Chinnappa |first1=Jeevan |title=M.C. Nanaiah re-emerges from political hibernation |newspaper=The Hindu |date=27 June 2008}}</ref>

In 1989, Nanaiah was appointed the leader of the opposition in the Council.<ref name="th2"/><ref name="biodata">{{cite web |title=Nanaiah M. C biodata |url=https://kla.kar.nic.in/council/members/EXMEMBERS/NanaiahMC.htm |website=kla.kar.nic.in |access-date=2 May 2024}}</ref> He held the post till 1994.<ref name="th2"/> After joining the [[Janata Dal]], Nanaiah held the cabinet portfolio of Law and Parliamentary Affairs in the [[Deve Gowda]]-led government starting 1994. He also served as Cabinet Minister of Forest, and of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj. Between 1994 and 1999, he served as Kodagu district in-charge for the Janata Dal. In 1999, he resigned as minister after his party decided to ally with the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Nanaiah battles to clear 'defaulter' tag |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/nanaiah-battles-to-clear-defaulter-tag/articleshow/2112084.cms |website=The Times of India |access-date=2 May 2024 |date=10 June 2007}}</ref>

In the early 2000s, Nanaiah joined the [[All India Progressive Janata Dal]], and subsequently the [[Janata Dal (Secular)]].<ref>{{cite news |title=JD(S) veteran M C Nanaiah may join Congress |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/jds-veteran-m-c-nanaiah-may-join-congress/articleshow/62629093.cms |access-date=2 May 2024 |work=The Times of India |date=24 January 2018}}</ref> He rejoined the INC in 2018.<ref>{{cite news |title=After 35 years, Nanaiah to re-join Cong on March 25 |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/after-35-years-nanaiah-re-1925751 |access-date=2 May 2024 |work=Deccan Herald |date=18 March 2018 |language=en}}</ref>

== Awards and recognition ==

* Ramakrishna Hegde award<ref name=":1" />

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nanaiah, M.C.}}
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Janata Dal (Secular) politicians]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Karnataka]]
[[Category:Janata Dal politicians]]
[[Category:Janata Party politicians]]

{{Karnataka-INC-politician-stub}}
{{Karnataka-JDS-politician-stub}}

M. C. Nanaiah - Revision history

Debadrito Dutta at 03:44, 16 April 2026