15th Karnataka Assembly session meets emotional end

Goodbyes are always hard, even for thick-skinned politicians, as Friday marked the last day of the 15th Assembly session.

BJP lawmakers, especially, expressed optimism about the party coming back to power. But for all MLAs, it was time to bid farewell to the House, at least for now.

The 15th Assembly was formed in May 2018. The BJP came to power in 2019 after the JD(S)-Congress coalition fell and saw two chief ministers - BS Yediyurappa and his successor Basavaraj Bommai.

Looking back, Yediyurappa recalled the BJP's transition. When he was elected first in 1983, there were only two BJP MLAs. "Yet, I never looked back and worked towards building the party," he said, crediting the RSS for this growth.

Also read | RSS training helped me rise, says Yediyurappa in Karnataka Assembly

Yediyurappa showered praises on JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda. "One has to learn from him about being active in public life even at his age," the BJP leader said, hailing Gowda as a role model for lawmakers. In 2018, Yediyurappa had declared in the Assembly that fighting the "father and son" (Gowda and HD Kumaraswamy) was his goal.

There was praise for Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah, too. "He's been a great opposition leader, guiding the Assembly. I'm at a loss for words in praising him," Yediyurappa said. There are no permanent enemies in politics.

Yediyurappa pointed out that he would turn 80 on February 27 and that he would not return to the Assembly. In parting advice, Yediyurappa said he would wish to see more women in the Assembly.

Law & Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuwswamy confessed that he didn't expect the government to last the entire term. But they were able to deliver especially because of the role of the "double engine" government, he said. "I know many of you make fun of it, but the double engine did work. The union government ensuring free Covid-19 vaccines to states was one such instance," he said.

Bommai recalled the challenging times during the Covid-19 pandemic. "We worked relentlessly. We conducted the session with a glass partition and masks," he said.

Lawmakers across parties said their goodbyes to the House, uncertain how many of them would return.

"Who knows what our parties, our voters and God have in mind? I just hope good people come to this House," Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri said, sobbing, before adjourning the Assembly sine die.