Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Minister Umesh Vishwanath Katti died of cardiac arrest in Bengaluru on Tuesday night. He was 61 years old.
Katti collapsed in the bathroom of her Dollar Colony residence here and was taken to a private hospital, news agency PTI quoted sources as saying.
State Revenue Minister R Ashok said that according to doctors, Katti had no pulse when she was brought to the hospital. He described Katti’s death as a great loss for the BJP and Belagavi district.
Expressing grief over the demise of his cabinet colleague and a ‘close friend’, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the state has lost a seasoned politician, a dynamic leader and a loyal public worker.
The Chief Minister announced that Katti’s last rites would be performed with state honors at Bagewadi Belagavi and her body would be taken there by air ambulance. The Karnataka government has also announced a day-long state mourning across the state on Wednesday as a mark of respect to the late leader.
“His (Umesh Katti) body will be shifted by air ambulance. All the procedures will be done after public darshan in Sankheshwar till 2 pm. The last rites will be performed with state honors at Bagwadi Belagavi. A holiday was declared for schools and colleges in Belagavi today,” Bommai told news agency ANI.
Katti Basavaraj was handling two portfolios in the Bommai government- Forest and Food and Civil Supplies. His family consists of wife, son and daughter.
Bommai’s cabinet colleagues, including Water Resources Minister Govind Karjol, Health Minister K Sudhakar and several BJP leaders, rushed to the hospital on receiving the news.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Also condoled the sudden demise of the party leader. “Umesh Katti ji was an experienced leader who contributed richly to the development of Karnataka. I am hurt by his death. My condolences to his family and supporters at this sad time. Om Shanti,” tweeted the Prime Minister.
Shri Umesh Katti ji was an experienced leader who contributed immensely to the development of Karnataka. I am hurt by his death. My condolences to his family and supporters at this sad time. peace.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 7, 2022
Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tweeted, “Deeply saddened to hear about the passing away of Food and Civil Supplies Minister Umesh Katti. My deepest condolences to the bereaved family. may his soul rest in peace.”
Born in Belladbagewadi of Hukkeri taluk of Belagavi district, Katti has been an eight-time MLA from Hukkeri assembly constituency. He entered politics in 1985 after the death of his father Vishwanath Katti.
Before joining the BJP in 2008, Katti was with the Janata Party, Janata Dal, JD(U) and JD(S). He had earlier served as a minister in the cabinet headed by JH Patel, BS Yediyurappa, DV Sadananda Gowda and Jagadish Shettar.
Katti was often in the news for his statements demanding statehood for the North Karnataka region and openly expressing his ambitions to become the chief minister.
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