SM Krishna tells Jairam to resign

The Congress’s high-profile economic expert Jairam Ramesh resigned yesterday as Deputy Chairman of the Karnataka Planning Board on being asked to by Chief Minister S.M. Krishna, said party sources.

The sources said Krishna was not happy with Ramesh’s performance. Also, with the Opposition gunning for him he had been left with no other option, they added.

In the two years he was Deputy Chairman, Ramesh, sources said, had held very few meetings of the Board. The Opposition, in the recent Assembly session, had questioned the purpose of the Board considering the Planning Board Deputy Chairman’s post had the same status and perks as that of a state Cabinet minister.