Gowda is the second minister to quit the ministry in the wake of the Feb 27 expansion and re-allocation of portfolios. Minister of State for Horticulture D T Jayakumar resigned barely hours after the exercise was undertaken by Patel.

Varade Gowda, a close confidant of former prime minister, H D Deve Gowda, claimed at a press conference here that at least ten more ministers were likely to come out of the ministry protesting against the `injustice' done to them by the chief minister.

He said when he communicated to Deve Gowda his decision to quit the ministerial post, the former premier suggested to him that `discontented' ministers could resign en masse and he should wait for thatmoment.

Varade Gowda alleged that Patel had rewarded, what he described as, `corrupt and insincere' ministers with Cabinet berths and important portfolios and there was a conspiracy to sideline the supporters of Deve Gowda.

He said he and those ministers, who would soon put in their papers, have decided to picket the Janata Dal office to protest against the `injustice' meted out to them.

Varade Gowda held the sericulture portfolio prior to the reallocation of portfolios.

Meanwhile, Patel today defended the reallocation of portfolio of Varade Gowda.

``The department (sericulture portfolio) was given to a person who knows the subject,'' Patel said when asked by reporters in New Delhi to comment on resignation of Varade Gowda

He said he would take a decision on Gowda's resignation after consulting senior colleagues on his return to Bangalore on Friday.