Madikeri: Karnataka Silk Marketing Board Chairman and Kodagu Congress leader resigned from all the posts held by him fearing suspension by Congress party after his uncalled act of trying to hold his woman colleague’s hand at a public event recently here was caught on camera.

A resignation letter drafted by Ramesh was sent to his Congress higher-ups after District In-charge Minister M R Seetharam had warned of action against him on August 21. 

Ramesh submitted the resignation to the post of Karnataka Silk Marketing Board chairman and also primary membership of Congress party to Chief Minister Siddaramiah at his office in Bengaluru on August 22 following, district in-charge minister M R Seethram’s instructions.

It may be recalled that Ramesh during a public meeting held last week in Kodagu, had tried to hold the hand of MLC Veena Achaiah who was seated next to him on the dais. In the video that went viral, a visibly uncomfortable Achaiah appears to be politely telling the fellow Congressman sitting beside her to “mind himself” in the meeting presided over by District In-charge Minister M R Seetharam.

Revealing the details of the resignation letter, T P Ramesh confirmed of submitting factual evidence on the entire incident.

“If holding a colleague’s hand to inquire about her health is a serious offence being in public life for over 40 years, then seniors like me have little room for survival in such circumstances”, a saddened Ramesh stated in his letter addressed to Dinesh Gundu Rao, State Congress Working President, while giving up the primary membership of the party.

Contradicting the same, it may be recalled that reacting to the incident, an embarrassed Veena Achaiah had said it was uncalled for one to behave in such a manner in public. “We work together as party members and it is important to respect women folk”, she had added.