Madikeri : Silk Marketing Board chairperson T P Ramesh has written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah again on August 29, requesting him to consider his resignation, as his letter of resignation, opting to step down from the post as well as from the primary membership of Congress, has not been accepted even after a week.

The incident of T P Ramesh holding the hand of MLC Veena Acchaiah during the Independence Day programme gave room for embarrassment for the party cadres and eventually turning into a controversy.

Ramesh therefore met the chief minister on August 23 and submitted his resignation to the post of the chairperson of the Karnataka Silk Marketing Board. Also, he opted to resign from the primary membership of the Congress party and submitted the letter of resignation towards the same to KPCC president G Parameshwara and working president Dinesh Gundu Rao.

There is still 15 days’ time for the resignation to be accepted. However, the state High Command seems to using the ‘wait-and-watch’ strategy as the Assembly elections are nearing and it is essential to ensure that the party workers stay united.

Ramesh is a senior leader in the party and his resignation from the Congress will not only dent the image of the party but may also demotivate the party workers. Therefore, there are high chances of the leaders appeasing Ramesh to remain in the party.

The Congress cannot afford to lose any of the Assembly seats this time. The party which had lost both the seats during last Assembly elections, had appointed Veena Acchaiah as the MLC, T P Ramesh as the chairperson of the Silk Marketing Board and Padmini Ponnappa as the vice president of the Forest Development Corporation.

It is worth noting that all are from Kodagu. Appointing them to influential posts indicates that the party was eager to regain the seats lost in the elections.

But, Ramesh has written to the chief minister again, requesting acceptance of his resignation. His response has evoked speculation among the party cadres that he may choose an alternative path.

Meanwhile, clearing the doubts, Ramesh said that he has decided to remain away from active politics forever. He will not withdraw his resignation. He has already returned his official vehicle, he said.