Senior minister resigns two days after taking oath as upset over portfolio

BENGALURU: Outbursts in the D K Shivakumar cabinet in Karnataka within days of taking office. Senior Congress leader and minister Ramalinga Reddy has resigned from the cabinet just two days after taking oath. It is believed that Reddy is upset over the allocation of portfolio.

The news of the internal fighting surfaced on the second day after D K Shivakumar formed the ministry. Reddy had demanded that he be given the Bengaluru Development portfolio. However, he was given the irrigation department. It is reported that Ramalinga Reddy met the chief minister expressing his displeasure over this, but it did not yield any results and then he decided to resign.

The Bengaluru Development portfolio is one of the most important departments in Karnataka. D K Shivakumar held the charge of this department when he was serving as the deputy chief minister. However, when he became the chief minister, he retained the finance department but gave up the Bengaluru Development portfolio. Krishna Byre Gowda has been given the charge of the Bengaluru Development portfolio.

Ramalinga Reddy signed his resignation letter in front of the cameras after convening a press meet. He then shared his anger at not getting the requested department with the media. 'I am completely disappointed now. D K Shivakumar had clearly said that he would give me the Bengaluru Development portfolio,’ clarified Reddy. Ramalinga Reddy, 72, was the Transport, Muzrai and Minister of Home Affairs in the Siddaramaiah government. He is presently the working president of the Karnataka Congress.