Bangalore, Dec 04: Humbled by a Congress rebel in the legislative council polls, Karnataka minister for civil aviation and infrastructure development T John resigned from his post today owning moral responsibility for his shock defeat. A sulking John who lost to Arun Machaiah from Kodagu in the election from local authorities constituencies yesterday, blamed "back stabbing" by his partymen for his defeat which came as an embarrassment to the ruling party despite sweeping the polls bagging 20 seats.
John told that he called on Chief Minister S M Krishna this morning and submitted his resignation.
This is the second time John has been forced to quit after he had to bow out of office two years ago following a controversy generated by his statement that the Gujarat earthquake was a "divine retribution" for attacks on Christians in that state.
With this, the strength of the 50-month-old Krishna ministry has come down to 48. Bureau Report