Karnataka water resources minister Ramalinga Reddy on Saturday withdrew his resignation after chief minister D.K. Shivakumar spoke to him and announced that the differences had been resolved.

Reddy, an eight-time MLA, had tendered his resignation on Friday over not being allotted the Bengaluru Development portfolio.

Since then, a slew of leaders, including former chief minister Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Congress chief B.K. Hariprasad and AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala have tried to defuse the crisis triggered by Reddy’s resignation.

Shivakumar held talks with the senior leader until the small hours of Saturday.

On Friday night, Shivakumar had said that the decision of Reddy’s portfolio had been taken by the Congress high command.

On Saturday, Shivakumar ruled out accepting Reddy’s resignation, asserting that the issue would be resolved internally through discussions.

“Ramalinga Reddy may have sent his resignation to me on WhatsApp. I was occupied throughout the night. Ramalinga Reddy is my friend. I have spoken to him, and all problems have been resolved. Under no circumstances will I accept his resignation,” Shivakumar told reporters after offering tribute to Devaraj Urs on his death anniversary at Vidhana Soudha.

Shivakumar stressed that the matter would be addressed within the party and government rather than being allowed to escalate further.

“Whatever needs to be done, we will sort it out internally,” he said.

Reddy will continue in the state cabinet as the water resources minister. The Congress circles are tight-lipped on whether he will be given an additional portfolio when the Shivakumar cabinet goes for its second cabinet expansion after the Rajya Sabha elections on June 18.