BENGALURU: Seven-time
Congress MLA and ex-minister
Ramalinga Reddy, 66, is the senior-most Congress leader among the disgruntled MLAs who have resigned in
Karnataka. He said he has no bitterness towards
JDS leaders or his own party’s national leaders.
ON RESIGNING
When JDS-Congress formed government, the party leaders said they were not taking seniors in the ministry and, instead, would give an opportunity to new faces. I agreed. But they inducted seniors like G Parameshwar, KJ George and DK Shivakumar. The party leaders also told me they could not take me because there is already a Reddy (Shivashankar Reddy) in the Cabinet. In that case, how come there are three Brahmins in the Cabinet? When I raised these issues, the party leaders said they would set it right after the
Lok Sabha elections. But in the latest expansion, they inducted only two independent members and continued to ignore me. That is when I decided to resign.
ON RECONSIDERING DECISION
No. I am not willing to accept any post now. The time is over. Quite a few leaders, including CM
HD Kumaraswamy, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal and Mallikarjuna Kharge, called me last night and asked me to withdraw resignation. I explained to them the reasons why I took this step.
BJP’S ROLE
Yes, BJP leaders did talk to me, but that is not the reason why I resigned. I have friends in BJP. BJP has not influenced my decision to quit.
ON CM HD KUMARASWAMY
I am not unhappy with the CM or with the national leaders of Congress. But I am disappointed with state Congress leaders.