Minister Rules Out His Resignation Threat, CM Terms It "False"

BENGALURU: A close confidante of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Minister of Energy K.J. George reportedly threatened the Chief Minister to tender resignation to the post if he decides to initiate disciplinary action against Principal Secretary to Energy Department and also Managing Director of Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Pankaj Kumar Pandey.

Reacting to news of George's threat to resign, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said "It is false" and added "George has not resigned."

It may be recalled here Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh served a show-cause notice on Pankaj Kumar Pandey after the IAS officer failed to turn up for a meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seeking some clarification from him. Irked over the IAS officer's non-challant attitude, a show-cause notice was served on Pankaj besides, the Chief Minister reportedly wanted disciplinary action against the Principal Secretary to Energy Department.

When George learnt about the Chief Minister contemplating on initiating action against Pankaj, George is said to have expressed his displeasure and wished to step down. “Why should I remain in the post if the CM office directly initiated action (against Pankaj)?” George reportedly told some officials of his ministry.

In a bid to console agitated George, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah made his Legal Advisor A.S. Ponnanna to meet George and convince him to refrain from tendering resignation. Ponnanna ruled out the resignation threat by George.

However, on the floor of the ongoing assembly, George clarified “There is no question of resignation by me” and expressed confidence in the Chief Minister over his handling of the administration. George was replying to a query posed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA V. Sunil Kumar over his reported resignation threat.

“It is far from the truth,” George said and blamed the media persons since news channels need something to feed their channels to run the show for the entire day.