Former Karnataka Minister and Congress MLA H Y Meti Passes Away at 79

H Y Meti is survived by two sons and two daughters.

Bengaluru: Karnataka Congress MLA from Bagalkote and former minister H Y Meti passed away at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Tuesday, according to party and hospital sources.

The 79-year-old politician was receiving treatment for respiratory issues and various age-related ailments.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited the hospital to pay his final respects to the deceased leader.

H Y Meti, who served as chairman of the Bagalkote Urban Development Authority, leaves behind two sons and two daughters.

According to party sources, his remains will be transported to Bagalkote in the evening, with the final rites expected to be conducted on Wednesday afternoon.

Throughout his political career, H Y Meti won elections from the Guledgudda Assembly constituency in 1989, 1994, and 2004 as a member of the Janata Dal party.

Following his electoral victory in 1994, he served as forest minister. He was also elected to Parliament from Bagalkote in 1996.

After constituency redistricting, he contested the 2008 election from Bagalkote on a Congress ticket but was unsuccessful.

He secured victory in 2013 and served as excise minister in the then Siddaramaiah-led Congress government, though he lost in the 2018 elections.

H Y Meti was considered among Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's close associates.

Expressing his sorrow over H Y Meti's death, the Chief Minister said, "I visited the hospital last Thursday to inquire about his health. I was hopeful that he would recover and rejoin us. Both my hopes and wishes have been dashed."

"H Y Meti, who had a long career in public service, was a politician deeply committed to the people and focused solely on developing his constituency. Society has become poorer with his passing," he posted on the social media platform X.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar also paid his respects, stating, "Meti was close to me. He joined the party alongside Siddaramaiah and served as both an MLA and minister. May God give his family strength to cope with this loss."

Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, numerous Congress leaders and state government ministers, former Chief Ministers B S Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai, as well as state BJP President B Y Vijayendra, among others, have expressed their grief over H Y Meti's demise.