Karnataka IT and biotechnology minister Katta Subramanya Naidu, who was on Thursday chargesheeted by the Lokayukta police in connection with a Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board land scam, resigned from the Cabinet, but not before a heated and often acrimonious debate on Thursday night when the minister pleaded his innocence and the party chief said he must go.
Mr Naidu, who met chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa in the presence of party state unit president K.S. Eshwarappa, reportedly insisted that he was not involved in the scam.
Sources close to the meeting said that while Mr Yeddyurappa maintained a stoic silence, Mr Eshwarappa insisted that Mr Naidu should resign at once, saying that the party would be unable to defend the government. Mr Naidu handed over his resignation late on Thursday night.
Sources in the party said that since Mr Naidu does not belong to any dominant community (Lingayat or Vokkaliga) nor does he enjoy the support of several MLAs, it became easy for the party to get him to resign.