BENGALURU: The Legislative Assembly and Council on Monday paid tribute to Raja Venkatappa Naik, Congress MLA from Shorapur Assembly constituency in Yadgir district, who passed away on Sunday. Members cutting across party lines paid their condolences to the sitting MLA after which both the houses were adjourned.
Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC president DK Shivakumar said he met Naik a few days back in the hospital. “After taking doctors’ certificates and permission from poll authorities, we had taken his thumb impression and signature so that he could vote from hospital for Tuesday’s Rajya Sabha polls. It is unfortunate, we lost a noble politician,” he added. He also said when he conducted a survey of candidates from the MLa’s region for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Naik’s name was on the top.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recalled Naik’s stellar career politics. “He went from a panchayat member to a four-time MLA. His father was also an MLA and brother was a Lok Sabha MP. Our party lost a committed person and the state a good politician” he said. Leader of Opposition R Ashoka said Naik was a person who never courted controversy. Many ministers, including Priyank Kharge, Madhu Bangarappa, BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan and Dr Sharanprakash Patil, recalled how the MLA would humbly proceed to get the works for his constituency done.
Former minister and BJP MLA Araga Jnanendra said in the post-Covid days, many people have died at a young age. “Young people are dying because of heart attacks or brain hemorrhage. This needs to be studied.”