Karnataka Water Resources Minister Ramalinga Reddy withdrew his resignation from the state Cabinet on Saturday, 6 June, following intervention by senior Congress leadership, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala announced in Bengaluru. Reddy had submitted his resignation on Friday, alleging that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had reneged on a promise to allocate him the Bengaluru Urban portfolio.

How the Crisis Was Resolved

Surjewala said the matter was resolved after multiple rounds of consultation involving Chief Minister Shivakumar, Karnataka Congress President B.K. Hariprasad, and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. 'When the media reported his so-called resignation, CM Shivakumar, state president B.K. Hariprasad, Siddaramaiah and I all spoke to him. There was apparently some misunderstanding. We met Reddy again, and he has already said that he has withdrawn his resignation and will continue as a minister,' Surjewala said.

According to sources, the party has assured Reddy of an additional portfolio, though an official announcement is still awaited. Surjewala confirmed Reddy would continue as 'a loyal soldier of the party and as a minister.'

Who Is Ramalinga Reddy

Surjewala was emphatic in underlining Reddy's standing within the Congress. He noted that Reddy has been associated with the party since 1973, first won a Legislative Assembly seat in 1989, and has since been elected as an MLA eight times, serving as a minister on multiple occasions. 'Ramalinga Reddy is an asset of the Congress party. He has been working in the party since 1973, a year when many of us were not even born,' Surjewala said. Reddy's long association with both Shivakumar and Hariprasad — dating back to their Youth Congress days — was cited as a key factor in the swift reconciliation.

Congress Takes Aim at BJP

Surjewala used the press conference to go on the offensive against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of attempting to exploit the episode for political gain. 'Those who were speculating and celebrating are in shock. The BJP thought they could fish in troubled waters and gain political advantage. They spoke of falling wickets and whatnot,' he said, addressing BJP leaders Vijayendra and R. Ashoka by name.

He asserted that the BJP would 'repeatedly get clean bowled in the court of the people,' arguing that public trust required sincerity and service — qualities he claimed the Congress government had demonstrated through its welfare guarantees.

Congress Highlights Welfare Delivery

Surjewala cited several figures to underline the government's performance: over 400 crore free bus trips delivered under the Shakti scheme, with nearly 2 crore more students set to be included; 1.66 crore households receiving free electricity; 4.49 crore beneficiaries receiving 10 kg of free rice; and lakhs of children receiving stipends of ₹3,000 and ₹1,500 under government schemes. He alleged that the BJP is 'unhappy with the Congress guarantees' and accused the party of attempting to 'take revenge' on Karnataka's people by targeting these schemes.

What Comes Next

With Reddy back in the fold, the immediate political crisis appears contained. However, the episode has exposed underlying tensions within the Karnataka Cabinet over portfolio allocation — a fault line that could resurface. All ministers have taken charge of their responsibilities, Surjewala confirmed. The Congress also flagged that leaders including Hariprasad have filed nominations to the Legislative Council and Rajya Sabha, framing it as a new phase of development under the current state leadership.