Bangalore : : To pave the way for Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda to enter the Upper House, sitting BJP member in the Karnataka Legislative Council N Shankarappa resigned from his seat on Friday. Shankarappa met Council Chairman D H Shankaramurthy in his chambers and submitted a one-line letter of resignation and appealed to the former to accept it with immediate effect.

The BJP member said there was no coercion involved in his resignation.

The Chief Minister had to become a member of either House of the Karnataka Legislature within six months to continue in office.

Shankarappa, a veteran party member’s term was to end in June, 2014. Shankarappa told reporters after submitting his resignation, “As a disciplined party soldier, I have honoured the diktat of the party leaders.”

Shankarappa hinted he could take over as chairman of the Permanent Backward Classes Commission and that the party had promised him a post on the panel.