Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy resigned as a minister in Karnataka on Friday, days after taking the oath and being inducted into DK Shivakumar’s cabinet in the state. While announcing that he would submit his resignation, Reddy said he would not act against his “conscience” and cited “humiliation.”
“I am resigning from my post because I cannot work against conscience,” he said at a press conference in Bengaluru. Reddy was unhappy over the allocation of portfolio in the state cabinet. He said he wanted the Bengaluru Development portfolio, but was instead appointed minister for Major and Medium Irrigation projects.
“How long can I tolerate this humiliation and what else were options before me?” Reddy said. Karnataka Chief Minister Shivakumar had allocated the ministry portfolios on Thursday. While the Congress tried to persuade Reddy in the middle of the press conference, he remained firm on his decision. He further told leaders who approached him to convey the leadership’s messages that the time had passed for them to pay heed to any suggestions.
Meanwhile, Shivakumar said there was “nothing to worry,” while calling Reddy “a great friend.” “Nothing to worry. He is a great friend. We are the closest friends among the Cabinet. We will sort out the problem,” the Karnataka Chief Minister was quoted as saying.
‘Still in Congress party’: Ramalinga Reddy clarifies
However, while relaying his decision to quit as a minister, Reddy clarified that he would continue to be a member of the Congress party and an MLA.
“I am still in the Congress party; I have not resigned from the party. I have been in the Congress party for the past 53 years,” Reddy said, adding that he had already “handled several responsibilities within the party.”
Reddy said he had never asked or lobbied for a ministerial position, while highlighting his previous stints as a minister under previous Congress governments. “I have served as a minister in the cabinets of former Chief Ministers M Veerappa Moily and SM Krishna, among others,” he said.
CM Shivakumar allocates portfolios to 13 ministers
Shivakumar, who was elected as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party after former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah resigned on May 30, allocated portfolios to the 13 ministers who had taken oath alongside him.
While Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara was assigned the Revenue and Sports portfolios, Priyank Kharge was handed Home (excluding Intelligence), while retaining the information technology and biotechnology departments he had handled in the previous Siddaramaiah cabinet.
K J George retained the energy department and was also assigned tourism, M B Patil retained the large and medium industries portfolio, and Satish Jarikholi will continue to hold the public works department. K H Muniyappa retained food and civil supplies, while Sharan Prakash Patil continued to hold the medical education portfolio. Krishna Byre Gowda was assigned Bengaluru urban development, which Reddy had sought.
Meanwhile, Bairathi Suresh was allotted the transport department, Siddaramaiah’s son Yathindra got urban development, UT Khader will head the health department, and Eshwar Khandre was handed rural development.
