M. D. Nataraj
Dr M.D. Nataraj was a politician of Karnataka state and the son in law of late Devaraj Urs, sometime Chief Minister of Karnataka.
Marriage and scandal
Nataraj was married to Nagaratna, the second daughter of Devaraj Urs. The marriage was a love marriage and Inter caste marriage. While Devaraj Urs belong to the very high-ranking Arasu (Rulers/Kshattriya) caste, Nataraj belong to Kuruba (Shepherd) caste. Devaraj Urs was initially apprehensive about such a marriage for two reasons: firstly, he suspected that Nataraj was politically ambitious and this love affair was part of his efforts to gain political position. Secondly, he was afraid that his daughter would need to make very great adjustments after marriage to fit into her new family. For these reasons, he initially resisted the marriage, but Nagaratna and Nataraj were both adamant, and so Devraj Urs finally agreed for the marriage, which also served to affirm his "progressive" and "socialist" credentials.
The fears of Devaraj Urs were perhaps well founded. Only a few years after marriage, and at the young age of twenty-eight, Nagaratna died suddenly after falling into a 60-foot-deep well. Her slippers were found nearby, outside the well, so it was suspected that she had committed suicide.[1]
Politics
Nataraj formed the notorious "Indira Brigade" with the former Bangalore underworld don M.P.Jayaraj at its helm. He was instrumental in establishing the iron grip of Devaraj Urs in state politics.