Bengaluru: A controversy over portfolio allocation has triggered the first major crisis in the newly formed Karnataka cabinet, with senior Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy announcing his resignation from the ministry after expressing dissatisfaction over the department assigned to him.
Addressing an emergency press conference, Reddy said he had decided to step down as minister, stating that he could not continue in the role against his conscience.
The development comes days after the allocation of portfolios in the cabinet headed by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. Reddy was assigned the Water Resources portfolio, a move that reportedly left him unhappy as he had been expecting a different department.
Sources said Reddy had discussed the issue with the Chief Minister before the final allocation of portfolios. However, his concerns were not addressed, leading to growing resentment within the party ranks.
His resignation has sparked fresh political debate and raised questions about internal coordination within the ruling Congress soon after the formation of the new government.
Political observers view the episode as the first significant challenge for the Shivakumar-led administration, which is attempting to balance regional, caste and seniority considerations while distributing key portfolios.
The Congress high command is expected to intervene and hold discussions with Reddy in an effort to resolve the issue and prevent further embarrassment to the government.
There has been no official response from Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar or the Congress leadership on the resignation announcement so far.
