Former Karnataka chief minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy, who has been elected to the Lok Sabha, today resigned from the state assembly “to put an end” to rumours that he plans to quit the Parliament seat as he was ‘denied’ a berth in the Union Cabinet.
Kumaraswamy, who submitted his resignation to the assembly speaker Jagadish Shettar, told reporters that by quitting his assembly membership he had ‘put an end’ to such rumours. Son of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, Kumaraswamy said, though he is now a member of the Lok Sabha, he would continue to remain active in state politics. “My priority would be Karnataka and I would be active in state politics,” he said.
Kumaraswamy, whose party won three seats, met Congress president Sonia Gandhi after the Lok Sabha results were declared and pledged support to the UPA government, sparking speculation that he might get a cabinet berth.