Former Minister HY Meti Laid To Rest With Full State Honours In Bagalkot
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who arrived from Bengaluru paid floral tributes to his former Cabinet colleague and AHINDA comrade, recalling their long association.
Bagalkot: The last rites of former minister and sitting MLA HY Meti were performed with full state honours at his native village Thimmapur in Bagalkot taluk on Thursday.
Meti, who passed away at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Tuesday following illness, was accorded farewell by thousands of followers, admirers and political leaders. His mortal remains were brought in an open vehicle to the District Stadium in Navanagar around 9 am, where people from across the district, officials and dignitaries paid their last respects.
A large number of people lined the streets as the funeral procession made its way through different parts of the city before reaching Thimmappur around noon. Family members and close relatives were given a private moment for the final viewing at his residence before the last rites were held on his farmland in the village.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who arrived from Bengaluru paid floral tributes to his former Cabinet colleague and AHINDA comrade, recalling their long association.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah described Meti as a “loyal and sincere politician,” while recalling their long association that spanned over four decades.
Recollecting their association since 1983, Siddaramaiah said, “I knew Meti from our days in the Janata Party, Janata Dal and later in the Congress. Regardless of party lines, he always stood by my decisions and worked shoulder to shoulder with me in the AHINDA movement. He was a loyal politician and a man of integrity. Though a year younger than me, he always treated me with great respect.”
“In 1996, after conducting a survey in Bagalkote, it was decided that HY Meti should contest the Lok Sabha elections. At that time, Meti was serving as a minister, but respecting my suggestion, he resigned from his ministerial post, contested the Lok Sabha election and emerged victorious,” he said
He added that Meti played a key role in HD Deve Gowda’s elevation as Prime Minister.
CM remembered Meti’s role in bringing a Government Medical College and Hospital to Bagalkote. “It is unfortunate that he is not here to witness the project taking shape. As per his dream, tenders have already been called, and the foundation stone will soon be laid,” he said.
Ministers Shivanand Patil, MB Patil, Bhairati Suresh, Mahadevappa, Satish Jarkiholi, RB Thimmappur, various MLAs and leaders were present.
