Bengaluru: The lone Bahujan Samaj Party minister in the HD Kumaraswamy government in Karnataka, N Mahesh, resigned from his post on Thursday, a week after he said that his would contest the Lok Sabha polls independently in the state.
Mahesh, who held the primary and secondary education portfolio, cited personal reasons for the decision in his letter to the chief minister.
"I have resigned as the minister. I will continue as a MLA. I will be focusing on my constituency and to strengthen the party for the Lok Sabha polls," he told the media.
He said he had no hard feelings towards the Congress or JDS. "I have no issues with the coalition partners or the government. I had worked towards education department's betterment. I hope those who will assume the office in future will continue in the same spirit," he added.
With his resignation, the fault lines between the BSP and Congress have been exposed further.
BSP supremo Mayawati had last week announced her decision to go it alone in three assembly elections in November-December in a major jolt to plans of a grand alliance. She had also launched a surprising attack on the Congress, and called it anti-minority and backward classes.
A day later, Mahesh had said that the party would also contest the Lok Sabha polls from Karnataka on its own and would not join hands with Congress and JDS, who have already said they would fight the elections together.
Mahesh was also reported to have said “we should eradicate Congress from its root", but had later backtracked and said he was misquoted.
The developments come just months after the show of unity by opposition parties and the warm embrace shared by Mayawati and Congress’ Sonia Gandhi at chief minister HD Kumarassamy's swearing-in ceremony in May this year.
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