Bangalore, Sept 4: Sulking over the denial of a ministerial berth, B Sreeramulu, former minister and a close aide of Reddy brothers, on Sunday announced his resignation from the Karnataka Assembly.
The development, however, is unlikely to have any immediate fallout for the one—month—old cabinet headed by D V Sadananda Gowda.
“My credibility is at stake. Nothing is greater than maintaining my credibility. I am hurt over the Lokayukta report indicting me in illegal mining. But I have not indulged in illegal mining,” Mr. Sreeramulu told reporters here.
“As per the wishes of my supporters I have decided to quit my assembly membership. I will submit my resignation letter to Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah in Madikeri today,” he said.
Mr. Sreeramulu ruled out any threat to the first—ever BJP government in the South, saying, “The government should continue. Sadananda Gowda should complete the five—year—term of the BJP government. There will be no harm to the government.”
Mr. Sreeramulu, who claims to have the support of 40 BJP MLAs in Bellary, Raichur and Chitradurga, however, rubbished reports that the Bellary brothers—G Karunakara Reddy and G Janardhana Reddy—and himself would topple the government.
Mr. Gowda had kept the Reddy brothers, who had also been indicted by the Lokayukta report, out of the cabinet. The Reddy brothers had been pitching for the inclusion of Mr. Sreeramulu in the state cabinet. PTI
