Karnataka minister quits, chief minister says no

Bangalore -  Karnataka's Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Saturday resigned on charges that he took a housing plot in the city violating laws governing  allotment of state-owned land.

Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda rejected the resignation saying: "Kumar need not quit as the charges have to be first investigated."

"Acceptance of Kumar's resignation does not rise now as I have to first verify the charges and consult officials concerned as the allotment was made under a particular (special) category to  which he was entitled as a lawmaker (legislator)," Gowda told reporters at his official residence here.

An official of the chief minister's office confirmed to IANS that Kumar had submitted his resignation to the chief minister at his home office, while Gowda was away.

"Kumar came to the chief minister's official residence in a private car and left soon after leaving the resignation letter in the chief minister's home office. The chief minister, however...decided to refer it to the department concerned for an official enquiry," the official said.

Kumar's resignation came in light of a local tabloid (Bangalore Mirror) expose, which highlighted how the state-run Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) allotted  a prime plot measuring 4,000 square feet under 'G' category in upscale RMV II stage to the minister when he was a lawmaker from the Rajajinagar assembly segment in the northern suburb of the city.