Ambarish quits over Cauvery

Upset over the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Ambarish, who represents Mandya in the Lok Sabha, has submitted his resignation from both ministership and membership of Parliament.

However, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee did not accept the resignation, as it was "not in an acceptable form."

The minister made the announcement at a public event on Wednesday here: "I have faxed my resignation to the prime minister as well as the Lok Sabha speaker. I am extremely unhappy with the tribunal's final award. It has done no justice to Karnataka. I am no more a member of the Lok Sabha and a minister." He also sent a copy of the letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

A film-actor-turned politician, Ambarish, who belongs to the Vokkaliga community, was recently inducted into the Cabinet by the Congress. The move was aimed at consolidating the party's position in Karnataka, which may witness an early poll due to the fragile coalition set-up.

Ambarish is considered an emerging leader and has a large following in the state. He was elected to Parliament from Mandya for the third consecutive time.

Ambarish was under pressure to quit with the agitation over Cauvery verdict mounting by the day in Mandya district through which the river flows.

The entire district is irrigated by the Cauvery. Ambarish had maintained silence over the award for the last one week. On Tuesday, he termed the award as "one-sided" and gave hints of quitting from the Lok Sabha as well as resigning from the minister's post.