In Tears, B Nagendra Quits Karnataka Cabinet, Second Time Over Same Corruption Scandal

Congress leader B Nagendra broke down on Friday evening as he announced his resignation from DK Shivakumar's Karnataka Cabinet amid relentless fire from the BJP over corruption allegations that had forced him to quit two years earlier too. He'd made a comeback in the first week of August when Shivakumar replaced Siddaramaiah as chief minister in the Congress government.

The main Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continued to underline alleged irregularities of Rs 89 crore in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation. The issue came to light after the corporation's accounts officer, Chandrasekharan P, died by suicide in May 2024, leaving behind a note alleging unauthorised transfer of funds. Investigations then found large sums were transferred from the corporation's bank accounts to various other accounts.

Asked if the party high command had told him to step down, Nagendra told NDTV, "No, I take my own decisions."

Shivakumar defended him later, "He is innocent. I have checked all the reports. The BJP is treating him like a criminal."

A prominent ST leader who was the Tribal Welfare Minister in Siddaramaiah's cabinet before the party decided to make Shivakumar the CM, Nagendra had resigned in June 2024 amid the controversy. He was re-inducted on August 3 after Shivakumar took over, and got the Planning and Statistics portfolio.

At the press meet where he announced he's quitting, Nagendra said, "I believe in the Constitution... We asked the BJP many times to come and discuss the allegations against me in the Assembly, but they didn't... Where is the proof?" He alleged that the BJP wants to "impose the Manusmriti" and has an "anti-tribal mindset"; and said he was being attacked "because I am Dalit". He then stated, "I am resigning out of my own free will," and broke down. 

Nagendra won on the BJP ticket in 2008, then as an independent candidate in 2013 from Kudligi; and joined the Congress in 2018, winning twice in a row from Bellary (ST-reserved).

He said he did not want to hand the BJP an issue for its planned protest march. The Karnataka BJP has announced a 10-day foot march from Raichur to Ballari from September 1 to 10 to highlight the alleged failures of the Congress government in the state. The re-induction of Nagendra was expected to be a major issue in that 200-km padayatra, apart from allegations of farmer distress, unemployment and alleged corruption in recruitment, he added. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi is scheduled to inaugurate it, state BJP chief BY Vijayendra had said.