Karnataka minister quits, SIT grills Bhujbal's kin

More heads rolled in the Telgi stamp paper scam.

Karnataka Minister for Small-Scale Industries Roshan Baig resigned yesterday following allegations about his links with the fake stamp paper scam while in Mumbai, former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal's nephew Samir was questioned for his role in the scam, strengthening an impression that the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar might have to let Bhujbal, a close political associate, go.

Baig, who had been defiant in the face of an attack by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had defended himself against the charge of being mixed up in the Telgi scam but found himself compromised after his brother Rehan was arrested recently. He submitted his resignation to Chief Minister SM Krishna yesterday.

Sources close to Krishna in the Karnataka Cabinet spoke to Business Standard and said Krishna might not accept Baig's resignation as there was no evidence against Baig either on the tapes or anywhere else.

Also, Baig had come under the Opposition attack, particularly from the BJP, which had been demanding his resignation alleging he had links with the multi-crore scandal and even yesterday, demanded that Baig be dropped from the Krishna ministry "within 24 hours". Accepting his resignation now might look as if the government was giving in to the BJP's demand.

On the other hand, Krishna is in trouble in the state. Not only has a chronic power shortage and a two-year drought taken its toll in the state, a non-confrontationist political style is helping the BJP consolidate its position.

Krishna is not looking forward to the Assembly elections scheduled to be held in September this year.

But if the Election Commission is persuaded to advance the election and club them with the general election, it is hard to say if the Congress can come back to power in Karnataka.

His colleagues are saying the state elections should not be advanced. That decision might not be Krishna's to take because in view of the change of the Chief Election Commissioner in February, it is possible that the new CEC might be somewhat more favourably disposed towards the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.

Under the circumstances, advancing the Assembly elections could be another rubicon for Krishna. The involvement of one of his ministers in the stamp scam is the last thing a tired government, plodding on with the task of governance, needs.

Rehan Baig had surrendered before the special investigation team (SIT) of Karnataka, which had been looking for him in connection with the scam.

Roshan, however, had said he was innocent and had denied any links with the scam. Roshan Baig's resignation is likely to become the raging issue before the Karnataka Assembly, scheduled to begin tomorrow.

The BJP has made it clear that it would take up the scam issue in a "big way". Alleged lapses in drought relief works, the demand for ban on online lottery and relief for farmers are among other major issues expected to come up for discussion during the session, which would last till 14 January.

Speaking to reporters in Bangalore today, Jagadish Shettar, BJP leader in the Assembly, charged the Krishna government with not making any formal moves to hand over the probe of the scam to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), despite the recent Cabinet decision. He said no formal letter had been sent to the Centre for investigation by the central agency.

Accusing the government of trying to "hush up" the case, he said the BJP would take up the Telgi scam in "a big way".