Bengaluru, 4 Nov

Karnataka Congress MLA from Bagalkote HY Meti died at a private hospital here on Tuesday, party and hospital sources said.

He was 79 and was undergoing treatment for breathing issues and other age-related ailments, they said.

Meti, who was chairman for Bagalkote Urban Development Authority, is survived by two sons and two daughters.

They said his mortal remains will be taken to Bagalkote in the evening and last rites are likely to be performed on Wednesday afternoon.

Initially, Meti represented Guledgudda Assembly constituency in 1989, 1994 and 2004 as a Janata Dal member.

After getting elected in 1994, he served as the Forest Minister. He was also elected as MP from Bagalkote in 1996.

After delimitation of constituencies, he had contested in 2008 from Bagalkote on a Congress ticket, but lost.

He won in 2013 and served as Excise Minister in the then Siddaramiah-led Congress government, but lost in 2018.

He was considered to be among the close associates of Chief Minister Siddaramiah.

Siddaramaiah visited the hospital to pay his last respects to Meti.

Expressing grief over Meti's death, the CM said, "I had visited the hospital last Thursday and inquired about his health. I was hopeful that he would recover and join us again. Both my hopes and wishes have been dashed."

"Meti, who was in public life for a long time, was a politician who was pro-people and only concerned about the development of the constituency. The society has become poorer with his demise," he posted on 'X'.