Just 48 hours after being sworn into the DK Shivakumar government, senior Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy has stepped down from the Karnataka Cabinet on Friday, triggering political buzz over the first major setback for the newly formed administration. While announcing his resignation, the veteran leader made it clear that his exit was restricted to the government and did not signal any break with the Congress party, with which he said he has been associated for more than five decades.
The resignation comes barely a day after responsibilities were assigned to ministers in the newly constituted Karnataka government. Under the allocation approved by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Ramalinga Reddy had been entrusted with the Major and Medium Irrigation portfolio. The swearing-in ceremony was held on Wednesday at Lok Bhavan, where DK Shivakumar took oath as Karnataka’s 34th Chief Minister.
The portfolio announcement was made late Thursday, making his resignation one of the quickest exits from a ministerial post in recent Karnataka political history.
#WATCH | Bengaluru | Ramalinga Reddy resigns as Karnataka Minister, says, “I am still in the Congress party; I have not resigned from the party. I have been in the Congress party for the past 53 years. I have handled several responsibilities within the party.I have served as a… pic.twitter.com/5SnASNSpJl
— ANI (@ANI) June 5, 2026
Resignation, not rebellion
Addressing reporters, Ramalinga Reddy stressed that he continues to remain a part of the Congress and has not severed ties with the organisation.
Displaying his resignation letter before the media, he said his decision was confined to relinquishing the ministerial post and should not be interpreted as a departure from the party.
Ramalinga Reddy said he has spent 53 years in Congress and has handled several responsibilities during his long political career.
Recalls decades of service
The senior leader also pointed to his experience in previous Congress governments, noting that he had served as a minister under former Chief Ministers M Veerappa Moily and SM Krishna, among others.
Emphasising that he never sought positions for himself, Ramalinga Reddy said he had not lobbied for a berth in the Cabinet and had never requested anyone to make him a minister.