B. L. Shankar (born 29 May 1952) is an Indian politician, advocate, and academic from the state of Karnataka. He is from the Chikkamagaluru region and served as a Member of Parliament (MP), a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC), and the Chairman of the Karnataka Legislative Council. He is currently a senior leader of the Indian National Congress.
Shankar was born in Belagodu, Chikkamagaluru district. He completed his Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) at J.S.S. College, Dharwad, and earned an LL.B. from University Law College, Bangalore. Later in his career, he pursued advanced academic studies, obtaining an M.A. (2001) and a Ph.D. in Political Science (2008) from Bangalore University
Shankar began his political journey in the 1980s, initially rising through the ranks of the Janata Dal before joining the Congress party.
Legislative roles