Bangalore: BJP Government in Karnataka received a jolt on Saturday as Law Minister S Suresh Kumar quit handing over his resignation letter to Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda after facing allegations of getting prime housing plot sanctioned in his name against rules.
The BJP, which formed the government in the state for the first time in South India in 2008, is already mired in controversy with many of its leaders facing corruption, illegal mining and land scam charges.
The action by the Minister, known as ‘Mr Clean’ as he was free of any corruption charges, came in the wake of a former BJP worker producing documents allegedly showing Kumar getting himself allotted a housing site in his name despite his family owning a ‘bunglow’ and two other housing plots in the city.
The Law Minister was sanctioned a 4000 sq ft plot in the posh Rajamahal Vilas Extension by the Bangalore Development Authority under G Category during the tenure of former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.
It was alleged that this was in violation of rules as Kumar had filed a false undertaking before the BDA that neither he nor his family owned a house or a housing site in Karnataka.
The Minister met Gowda this morning, handed over his resignation letter and left in his private car.
In his initial reaction, Kumar admitted to an ‘error of judgement’and offered to return the site.
Gowda appealed to an emotion-filled Kumar to take back his resignation letter and said he would not accept it over a mere ‘allegation’.
However, the Chief Minister promised to act if the allegations proved correct.
Kumar was sanctioned the plot during the tenure of Yeddyurappa who was the Chief Minister of the state during 2008-10. Incidentally, the latter was eased out of the post by the BJP after he was named in the Lokayukta report on illegal mining and faced several land scams and corruption charges.
The Law Minister was, however, above suspicion and remained the ‘clean face’ of the BJP Government ever since it came to power.
He had also not aligned himself with any group in the faction- ridden BJP Government.
The two-time MLA rose to become a Minister after performing well as the opposition leader in Bangalore City Corporation.
He was later was elected to the Assembly for the first time in 1994 from Rajajinagar in the city.
Suresh Kumar again won from the same segment and became a Minister when BJP came to power in the State during 2008.
He had been the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister ever since.
Meanwhile, the complainant, Bhaskaran, who also claimed himself to be an RTI activist, demanded Kumar be sacked from the Ministry
He stated he had been a BJP worker for over 18 years but was ‘disowned’ by Mr Kumar though he worked hard for his victory.
He also accused the Minister of being a ‘casteist’ who had done little for his supporters who stood by him during elections. (UNI)
