Bengaluru | Top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday paid tributes to the mortal remains of AICC secretary and Karnataka government's Guarantee Committee vice chairman Suraj Hegde here.

Hegde, aged about 55 years, died at a private hospital on Sunday due to cardiac arrest.

Gandhi visited Hegde's residence at Dollars Colony. He was accompanied by Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, former CM Siddaramaiah, AICC general secretaries K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, Deputy CM G Parameshwara, state Congress president B K Hariprasad, and others.

He also met Hegde's family members and offered condolences.

The last rites are likely to be held later in the day.

Meanwhile, Hegde was accorded state honours.

Earlier, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha was received at the Kempegowda International Airport by Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah and Hariprasad.

Hegde, who was the former in-charge of the Indian Youth Congress, was the grandson of former Chief Minister Devaraj Urs.

Gandhi on Monday said he was deeply saddened by the passing of Hegde.

"As AICC Secretary and Former In-charge of the Indian Youth Congress, he worked with a deep belief in the party's ideals. The Youth Congress was not just an assignment for him. He mentored young Indians who today carry forward the Congress's commitment to justice and democracy," he said in a post on 'X'.

"His demise is an irreparable loss to the Congress family. My condolences to his family, his colleagues, and every Congress karyakarta whose life he touched," Gandhi added