BENGALURU: Senior Congress leader and Karnataka minister R Ramalinga Reddy tendered his resignation just two days after taking oath as minister, expressing strong dissatisfaction over his allocated portfolio on Friday. The resignation comes at a time when Rahul Gandhi is in town. Reddy said chief minister DK Shivakumar had “done a U-turn” on an earlier assurance regarding the Bengaluru development portfolio, which he claimed was promised to him in 2023 with an understanding that he would be given the department once Shivakumar assumed the chief minister’s post after two and a half years.
Reddy Expresses Disappointment
“I have been humiliated time and again, cannot take it anymore,” Reddy said, expressing anguish over the handling of the portfolio allocation issue. He emphasized that he would continue to remain a Congress MLA and stay in the party. “I will continue to remain a Congress MLA and remain in Congress,” he said, adding that he could not work against his conscience. He also stressed that he has been in the Congress for 53 years and will continue in the party despite stepping down from the ministerial post.
No Anger, Only Disappointment
“I am not angry, only disappointed,” he said, adding that he would not submit his resignation in person to the chief minister and would instead send it through his personal secretary to the CM’s office. Reddy’s move comes amid reported internal discussions over portfolio allocations within the Karnataka cabinet. The development has sparked political speculation, with opposition parties likely to seize the opportunity to criticize the Congress government's internal strife.
Reddy’s resignation underscores the ongoing tensions within the Karnataka Congress, particularly regarding portfolio distribution and leadership dynamics. The party leadership is expected to engage in damage control to prevent further fallout.
