<p>Excise Minister H Nagesh dismissed reports of his exit from the state Cabinet when new ministers are inducted during the week.</p>.<p>Speaking to reporters on Monday, Nagesh said that there was no question of Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa dropping him from the Cabinet, as the latter had assured him of a ministerial position for three years.</p>.<p>"I was a minister in the (Congress-JD(S)) coalition government and was the first to resign after which two other ministers R Shankar and MTB Nagaraj followed suit. My resignation was the turning point for the formation of (BJP) government," he said.</p>.<p>Nagesh said that he was confident that Yediyurappa will not drop him. "..the CM had asked me to trust him and assured that I will remain minister for the entire three-and-half year tenure of the government. Based on that assurance, I resigned from the coalition government and supported the BJP government," he said.</p>.<p>The excise minister said the reports of his exit were 'shocking' while expressing confidence that he will be retained in the state Cabinet.</p>.<p>Reports of his exit emerged after Yediyurappa got approval by the BJP high command to expand his Cabinet, following a meeting with Union Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President JP Nadda and, BJP General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh at New Delhi on Sunday evening. </p>.<p>Nagesh, it must be recalled, had recently courted controversy after the daughter of an excise department official filed a complaint with the PMO after the minister allegedly demanded a bribe for her ill father's transfer. He had rubbished the allegations, contending that the official was a habitual complainant.</p>
<p>Excise Minister H Nagesh dismissed reports of his exit from the state Cabinet when new ministers are inducted during the week.</p>.<p>Speaking to reporters on Monday, Nagesh said that there was no question of Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa dropping him from the Cabinet, as the latter had assured him of a ministerial position for three years.</p>.<p>"I was a minister in the (Congress-JD(S)) coalition government and was the first to resign after which two other ministers R Shankar and MTB Nagaraj followed suit. My resignation was the turning point for the formation of (BJP) government," he said.</p>.<p>Nagesh said that he was confident that Yediyurappa will not drop him. "..the CM had asked me to trust him and assured that I will remain minister for the entire three-and-half year tenure of the government. Based on that assurance, I resigned from the coalition government and supported the BJP government," he said.</p>.<p>The excise minister said the reports of his exit were 'shocking' while expressing confidence that he will be retained in the state Cabinet.</p>.<p>Reports of his exit emerged after Yediyurappa got approval by the BJP high command to expand his Cabinet, following a meeting with Union Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President JP Nadda and, BJP General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh at New Delhi on Sunday evening. </p>.<p>Nagesh, it must be recalled, had recently courted controversy after the daughter of an excise department official filed a complaint with the PMO after the minister allegedly demanded a bribe for her ill father's transfer. He had rubbished the allegations, contending that the official was a habitual complainant.</p>
