BENGALURU: DK Shivakumar’s two-day government in Karnataka received its first jolt on Friday after senior Congress leader R Ramalinga Reddy resigned from the Cabinet on live television over portfolio allocation, alleging that he was promised a particular department but was later denied the ministry.
The announcement by the eight-time Bengaluru MP and eight-time minister came less than 24 hours after the portfolios were announced and two days after Reddy was sworn in along with 13 others in the new cabinet following the resignation of former chief minister Siddaramaiah.
Reddy – who is currently the Minister of the Major and Medium Irrigation Department – claimed that he was promised the Bengaluru Development Department, which was allotted to another senior Congress leader, Krishna Bair Gowda.
Addressing a press conference, Reddy said he has not resigned from Congress, adding that he will continue to remain a party member and legislator.
“I have been humiliated over and over again, and I cannot bear it anymore,” Reddy said. The 72-year-old also referred to his long association with the party, saying that he spent 53 years in Congress and intends to continue in its ranks. He added: “I’m not angry, I’m just disappointed.”
“They called me twice and promised to give me the (Bengaluru Development) portfolio but in the end it was transferred to someone else. That’s why I feel hurt. So, today I will resign,” Reddy told reporters.
Reddy said he never lobbied for a ministerial post nor did he seek any specific administration from the party leadership. Narrating the events that followed the formation of the previous Congress government between 2013 and 2018, Reddy said: “I never asked Siddaramaiah for the Bengaluru development portfolio. He offered it voluntarily.” He also served as Transport Minister under Siddaramaiah from May 2023 to May 2026.
Reddy said he met Shivakumar before the latter took oath as chief minister but he did not raise any demand for a ministerial post or portfolio. “I never asked him to make me a minister. I never asked Siddaramaiah to include me in the government. I never approached the high command,” he said.
When asked whether he would reconsider his decision if the party leadership convinced him or offered him the portfolio he wanted, Reddy said a categorical “no”.
“I am still in the Congress party, and have not resigned from the party. I have been in the Congress party for 53 years. I have handled many responsibilities within the party. I have served as a minister in the governments of former prime ministers M Veerappa Moili and SM Krishna, among others. I have never asked anyone to give me a ministerial post,” he added.
Shivakumar sought to downplay concerns and indicated that the issue would be resolved.
“There is nothing to worry about. He is a great friend. We are the closest friends in the Cabinet. We will solve the problem,” Shivakumar said.
“Ramalinga Reddy is my colleague and our senior leader. He said he cannot go to the village and work. He said I should give him another ministerial post. I will talk to Ramalinga Reddy and make everything fine,” the chief minister added.
Reddy said that he will not personally hand over his resignation to the Prime Minister, but will send it through his personal secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office.
The resignation letter said, “I thank you and the Congress Party for granting me a ministerial position in your government. Since it is not possible for me to act against my conscience, I submit my resignation from the ministerial position. I request that my resignation be accepted. I will continue as a member of the Congress Party and a worker of the Congress Party.”
State Home Minister Priyank Karg stressed the importance of Reddy for both the party and the state. “He is very important to the party. He is very important to the state. He has won the elections eight times. We need his experience,” he said.
Congress state president BK Hariprasad said he would talk to him and resolve the issue. “Such things happen constantly in politics. There is no problem. But he will talk to us, and will not do anything against the Congress party,” he said.
Bayer Gouda did not respond to calls for comment.
This development comes a few months before the scheduled elections for the Greater Bengaluru Authority, and the responsibility for coordinating local elections falls on the minister responsible for the city.
Reddy’s claim to running the city dates back to 2002-04 under SM Krishna, when he took charge of Bangalore city development along with food and civic supplies. However, the wallet lacked centralization power today. Krishna personally directed the urban planner through the Bangalore Agenda Task Force, leaving Reddy with local management rather than master planning.
Reddy remains one of the most influential Congress leaders in Bengaluru and has long been a prominent figure in the city’s political and organizational affairs.
In response to the growing friction within the ruling regime, opposition leader R. Ashoka strongly criticized the stability of the Congress Party, citing open rebellion and subsequent ministerial resignations over the allocation of ministerial portfolios.
“Kannadigas may one day wake up to a sunless morning, but not a day without Congress infighting in Karnataka,” Ashoka said, mocking the ongoing infighting.
Highlighting the Congress high command’s repeated intervention to douse local fires, the BJP leader added that with two years left in the government led by Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, senior central leaders including Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala “may rent a permanent office, or better yet, buy a house in Bengaluru”.
