Shobha Karandlaje to quit ministry today

Ending weeks of speculation, Karnataka Minister for Energy Shobha Karandlaje, a loyalist of KJP chief B S Yeddyurappa, has decided to quit the BJP ministry on Wednesday.

“I am proud and have satisfaction of performing well during my tenure as Energy Minster in the last two and a half years. I am leaving the Department. It is my last day, hopefully, in office,” Shobha told reporters here. Shobha, who had already dropped hints at resigning from the ministry and also BJP to support KJP activities ahead of the assembly polls, about three months away from now, thanked officials of Energy department.

“I am very emotional also. Official have done well. Even when Karnataka Power Corporation employees went on strike recently demanding wage hike, they only resorted to black badge protest and did not stall power generation,” she said According to sources close to her, she would be tendering her resignation tomorrow and PWD Minister C M Udasi was expected to join her in quitting the Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar led ministry.

Outlining the achievements of the BJP, 593 Mw of energy into state’s grid. Kudgi super thermal power with 4,000 Mw capacity, Edlapur (800 Mw), Erramarus (1,600 Mw), Bidadi (700 Mw), Bellary Thermal Power station (700 Mw) and 4,000 Mw Chattisgarh plant are in the pipeline and when completed turn Karnataka not only a power surplus, but would be in a position to sell energy to neighbouring states, she said.

She said adequate arrangements have been put in place to ensure that there would be no load shedding in the coming summer season. The government has spent Rs 12,000 crore on improving power transmission system, which helped in reducing transmission and distribution losses from 23 per cent to 20 per cent. Udasi, when reporters approached him, said “we will announce tomorrow every thing at a press conference”.

The veteran leader from Haveri district, who has identified with KJP, refused to answer queries on whether he would also be resigning his assembly membership. In another development, Yeddyurappa has invited Ministers and MLAs supporting him to his residence for a meeting this Evening. Speculations are also rife that some MLAs will also be resigning tomorrow.