Bangalore, Aug 31 - Barely three months after assuming charge, Karnataka housing and religious endowment Minister V. Somanna resigned Monday following his defeat in the recent by-election from the Govindarajnagar assembly constituency in the city.

According to a communique from Raj Bhavan, Governor H.R. Bhardwaj accepted Somanna's resignation from the ministry on the recommendation of Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa.

The 59-year-old Somanna lost to Congress novice Priya Krishna, son of veteran party legislator 'layout' Krishnappa, by 5,239 votes.

Somanna had won from the assembly seat on a Congress ticket in the May 2008 assembly polls. However, he resigned from the main opposition party and seat to join the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in April before the Lok Sabha polls.

He was inducted into the ministry in June.

Incidentally, Somanna is the first minister in Karnataka to have lost in an election while in office.