Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Sep 2: Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has granted a week's time to social welfare minister D Sudhakar, who has been facing charges of defrauding a bank to the extent of several crore rupees, as per a charge sheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI), to resign from the post.

Reportedly, minister R Ashok and MP Siddesh held prolonged discussions with Sudhakar at his residence on Monday night, in a bid to convince him of the need to leave the post. Sudhakar, it is said, took the stand that he has not committed any wrongs and that there was no need to step down. However, on the insistence of the Chief Minister, he is said to have given reasons to the Chief Minister about his decision to stay on, and got a week's time to resign.

Reportedly, the Chief Minister had asked Sudhakar to put in his papers immediately. But Sudhakar, who came to the city on Monday, continued to stay firm on his decision to stay on. The Chief Minister, who has left on a China trip on Tuesday night, will come back on September 8. As the assembly session is set to begin on September 9, Sudhakar will have to go before that date.

The petition filed by Sudhakar in the High Court, seeking exclusion of his name from the charge sheet filed by the CBI, is set to be taken up for hearing on Wednesday September 2. If he succeeds in securing a stay order from the High Court, he may find ways to extend his tenure as minister, it is expected.