The News Minute | March 27, 2015 | 10.53 am ISTThe uproar and animosity over the D K Ravi case forgotten, the Karnataka Assembly on Thursday discussed the India-Australia World Cup semi-finals.Kannada daily Prajavani published a photograph of the nearly empty Assembly hall and reported although Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa began the session at 11.15 am only around 50 legislators were present. Many MLAs were gathered in the lounge watching the match.Prajavani also reported that even among the few legislators who were present in the Assembly, some of them kept going back and forth between the Assembly hall and the lounge bringing back score updates for the rest.Unable to contain his curiosity, Leader of the Opposition Jagadish Shettar went out to the lounge when Australia was batting and returned a few minutes later and informed the rest about the score: “We have to chase a score of 329 runs.”On learning this, Basavaraj Bommai said: “It was already a given that New Zealand and Australia would play the finals, (let it be).”Even the ministers could not help themselves. Krishna Byre Gowda, Dineshh Gundu Rao, U T Khader, Kimmane Ratnakar, H S Mahadeva Prasad too kept going to the lounge every now and then during proceedings to follow the match.Prajavani reported that oblivious to all the comings and goings, Congress MLA Basavaraj Rayareddy made a serious speech on the budget. This too, was met with a cricket-coloured comment from the treasury benches: “Oho… Rayareddy is batting very well.”It was only ministers H K Patil, Umashree Ramalinga Reddy and K M Shivalinge Gowda of the JD (S), Lakshman Savadi and N Muniraju of the BJP who remained immune to the cricket fever that had infected the others, Prajavani reported.The Hindu reported that the Savadi, and others asked the Speaker to fine the MLAs who had not turned up for the session. In the Legislative Council, Leader of the Opposition K S Eshwarappa tore up a list containing names of ministers who would be present in the legislature on Thursday.(Photo Courtesy: Prajavani)Tweet Follow @thenewsminute