Karnataka Minister sticks to his decision to quit

Mangalore Today/ PTI

Bangalore, June 24 :  Karnataka Minister S Suresh Kumar today stuck to his decision to quit in the wake of allegations that he suppressed facts for obtaining a residential site, even as top BJP leaders mounted pressure on him to withdraw his resignation.

"There is no question of taking back my decision to quit as Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister," Kumar, who resigned yesterday, told reporters here.

 

 

Many state and Central leaders contacted him and asked him to withdraw his resignation, he said, adding that, "I am grateful to those who supported me following my resignation."

Kumar had submitted his resignation to Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda after a section of the media yesterday carried a story quoted to an RTI applicant, who alleged that Kumar suppressed the fact that his kin already owned two sites while obtaining the ’G’ category (discretionary quota of Chief Minister) site here.

Kumar said he wanted the Chief Minister to institute an inquiry and hoped truth prevails. "It is left to the Chief Minister to decide on what kind of investigation he wants to institute in this matter," he said.

He said he was in politics for the last three decades and people got suspicious whenever a controversy erupted. "To dispel people’s suspicion, I tendered (my) resignation."

State party leaders called on Kumar, who is perceived to be clean, asking him to withdraw his resignation.

According to BJP sources, party leaders Arun Jaitley and Dharmendra Pradhan had a telephonic conversation last night asking Kumar to withdraw his resignation.

State BJP President K S Eshwarappa has been trying to convince Kumar to rethink his decision.
The Chief Minister yesterday had refused to accept Kumar’s resignation, saying he would continue as Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister.