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The multi-crore mining scam in Karnataka, at the weekend, claimed Congress minister Santosh Lad's scalp. Despite the mounting pressure for his resignation ahead of the state legislature's session from November 25 at Belgaum, he had tried to hold on to his chair and seemed to find support from all quarters.
The BJP wanted to make Lad's continuance as a minister an issue during the legislature session starting in Belgaum on Monday. But, the Congress preferred to checkmate the BJP. It sacrificed Lad to leave BJP without the subject of Lad to embarrass it with.
Ending the day-long suspense and political drama at the weekend, the 34-year-old mining baron, who was minister of state for infrastructure development, information and Kannada and culture departments submitted his resignation letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over allegations of illegal mining by his company .V S Lad and Sons, Lad's mining company, was among the 51 leases cancelled by the state in September after it was slotted under the 'C' category (violation exceeding 10%).
The Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee had categorized mines as 'A', 'B' and 'C' depending on the extent of violation.Lad's mining firm had been indicted by then Karnataka Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde for illegally extracting and supplying about 10,000 tonnes of iron ore during 2008-10 from Sandur mines in Bellary district.
The firm is also being probed by the CBI on a Supreme Court directive after the central empowered committee (CEC) appointed by it classified the mine as a 'C' category mining lessee and directed the government to cancel its licence for alleged large scale illegal mining.He put in his papers after an hour-long meeting with chief minister Siddaramaiah, at the weekend.He later told reporters that he was quitting to avoid embarrassment to the Congress government. "There was no pressure from the CM on me to resign,'' he added.
Green activist S R Hiremath had submitted a 126-page document to governor H R Bhardwaj earlier to prove Lad's involvement in illegal mining. The BJP submitted documents, while another activist, T J S Abraham, sought the governor's permission to prosecute Siddaramaiah for "shielding'' Lad.
The governor is said to have forwarded to the government all documents submitted to him. The government is yet to reply, but Lad met Bhardwaj two months ago to clarify his stand.
The exit of Lad was cleared on November 18 when AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh asked Siddaramaiah and KPCC president G Parameshwara to get him to step down. Soon after, Lad rushed to New Delhi to present his case to the central leadership.
