Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar moved swiftly to douse the political fire within his freshly formed cabinet on Friday, assuring reporters that the resignation threat by senior Congress leader and minister Ramalinga Reddy over portfolio allocation would be resolved amicably.
He also called Reddy as the closest of friends.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Shivakumar struck a reassuring tone. "Nothing to worry. He is a great friend. We are the closest friends among the Cabinet. We will sort out the problem," he said.
Chief Minister elaborated further, acknowledging the core of Reddy's grievance. "Ramalinga Reddy is my colleague and our senior leader. He said that he cannot go to the village and work. He said that I should give him some other ministerial post. I will talk to Ramalinga Reddy and make everything right," Shivakumar said.
ALSO READ: Who Is Ramalinga Reddy? Karnataka Minister Quits DK Shivakumar Cabinet Over Portfolio Allocation
The dispute erupted within hours of Shivakumar's cabinet being sworn in on Wednesday.
Reddy, the seven-term MLA from BTM Layout in Bengaluru, had been keen on the Bengaluru Urban Development portfolio, a role he had reportedly been promised, but the charge was instead given to Krishna Byre Gowda.
Reddy was reportedly offered the Water Resources Department, which he declined, and is said to have walked out of the portfolio allocation meeting in protest before announcing his intention to resign from the cabinet.
Having assumed the Chief Ministership after years of waiting within the Congress ranks, the last thing Shivakumar's government needs is a public falling-out with one of its most experienced and politically influential members at the very outset.
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