Karnataka Minister quits amid high drama

After days of persuasion, Karnataka’s Horticulture Minister S K Bellubi submitted his resignation to accommodate a new-entrant to the BJP in the B S Yeddyurappa-led Ministry.

But, Bellubi’s resignation on Sunday evening was preceded by high drama as the four-day-old protest staged by his supporters in his native Bijapur district took a turn for the worse as five of them consumed poison in a bid to end their lives. They were admitted to a hospital and later declared out of danger.

In Bangalore, Bellubi himself was rushed to a private hospital after he complained of high blood pressure and dizziness even as senior BJP leaders waited for the Horticulture Minister’s resignation letter at a meeting convened by Yeddyurappa.

Eventually, Bellubi sent in his resignation letter addressed to the Chief Minister around 6.30 pm on Sunday evening, much to the relief of BJP leadership.

After receiving Bellubi’s resignation, Yeddyurappa said former Minister Umesh Katti, who recently quit the Legislative Assembly as a JD (S) member and joined the BJP, would be sworn in as Minister on August 27.

Notwithstanding the confusion and chaos over Bellubi’s resignation, BJP’s Karnataka unit President D V Sadananda Gowda claimed that the Horticulture Minister had displayed a spirit of unity in the party by resigning on his own accord to strengthen the party and the Government.

Denying that Bellubi had been forced to resign, Gowda said BJP MLA from Bijapur would be given a suitable position befitting his stature and seniority for his “sacrifice”.

The BJP’s state unit chief, however, expressed regret over the protest staged by Bellubi’s supporters in Bijapur and the accompanying violence. “It was spontaneous and impulsive”, he added.

Sadananda Gowda, however, scotched speculations that a few more Ministers will be asked to resign from the BJP Government in Karnataka to accommodate the new entrants to the party. “There will be no more resignations from the Ministry”, Gowda said.

It may be mentioned here that the BJP, which has 110 members in the 224-member Karnataka Legislative Assembly, had formed a Government with the support of six independents, five of whom had been rewarded with Cabinet berths.
With a view to consolidating its party position in the Assembly, the BJP admitted seven Opposition MLAs, who have since resigned their seats in the Assembly. Three of the new entrants have already been rewarded with Cabinet berths.