Bangalore/Kundapur, Jul 13 - Upset over being denied a ministerial berth, ruling BJP MLA Halady Srinivasa Shetty today announced his decision to resign from the Assembly.

A three-time MLA and a popular leader of Udupi District, Shetty told reporters here that "heeding" to the calls by his followers and voters of his Kundapur constituency he had decided to resign as MLA.

Irate followers of Shetty yesterday held protest marches in Kundapura, Halady, Hebri regions of the district after Shetty, whose name was doing rounds for the post of minister, was not included in the in the ministry headed by Jagadish Shettar.

Shetty said he spoke to Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah over phone today and wanted to personally hand over his resignation letter.

Bopaiah, counselling patience, told him that he was away in his home district Kodagu, the MLA said but added he was firm on his decision to quit and would submit it to the Speaker's Office.

Meanwhile, people in Kundapur observed a bandh protesting against the "ill-treatment" meted out to their MLA after inviting him to swearing-in ceremony yesterday. His supporters staged a road blockade disrupting traffic.

Barring state run KSRTC buses, all vehicles remained off the road and shops and business establishments downed shutters in Kundapur, according to reports received here.

Mudigere MLA, M P Kumaraswamy has also expressed his displeasure over the party denying him the ministerial berth. Shettar was sworn in yesterday heading a 34-member ministry. PTI