In what could cause more embarrassment to the Siddarmiah government in the State, Satish L. Jarkiholi, who has backed Mr. Siddaramaiah strongly in the past, tendered his resignation as Cabinet Minister on Tuesday.
The development comes at a time when the Chief Minister has been consistently under pressure from his own partymen over Cabinet portfolios, and the Opposition parties over the Arkvathi denotification issue.
Mr. Jarkiholi, who was reportedly not happy with the Excise portfolio, had been requesting for a change.
In what was seen as a hint of things to come, he was not present at the Belagavi airport on Sunday to greet Mr. Siddaramaiah.
Mr. Siddaramaiah had told presspersons at Kundargi in Gokak taluk, at a private function on Sunday, that he was unaware of the absence of Mr. Jarkiholi and that his request for a change could be addressed during the impending Cabinet reshuffle.