Ramalinga Reddy quits Minister post 2 days after oath, DK Shivakumar says “Will Sort It Out”

A major political embarrassment has hit the newly formed Karnataka government as Minister Ramalinga Reddy resigned from the Cabinet just two days after taking oath, reportedly over dissatisfaction with the portfolio allocation.

Reddy, a senior Congress leader and eight-time MLA from BTM Layout, was inducted into the DK Shivakumar-led Cabinet during the recent expansion. However, he expressed strong displeasure after being assigned the Irrigation portfolio instead of the Bengaluru Development portfolio, which he claims was promised to him earlier.

Confirming his resignation, Reddy said that Chief Minister DK Shivakumar had personally assured him of the Bengaluru Development portfolio before the Cabinet formation. He added that he had accepted the offer based on that assurance, but was later given a different department, which he found unacceptable.

“DK Shivakumar came to my house and told me I will be given Bengaluru portfolio. I had agreed then,” Reddy said, adding that the promise was reiterated later but not fulfilled during final allocation.

Following the development, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar responded by downplaying the issue and expressing confidence that the matter would be resolved soon. Calling Reddy a “senior leader and close friend,” Shivakumar said, “We will sort it out.”

Reddy, however, maintained a firm stance and stated that even if the Bengaluru Development portfolio is offered now, he would not accept it. He said he would continue as an MLA and remain committed to the Congress party.

The resignation comes shortly after portfolios were assigned to 13 ministers in the new Cabinet, raising questions about internal coordination within the ruling party. Sources suggest Reddy had been insisting on the Bengaluru Development portfolio for some time and was reportedly upset after being overlooked.

The issue also sparked political reactions from the opposition. BJP leaders alleged that the resignation exposed internal divisions within the Congress government and predicted further instability in the coming days.