Karnataka minister B Nagendra resigned from the state cabinet on Friday, days before the BJP and its ally Janata Dal (Secular) are set to launch a 170-km padayatra demanding his removal over financial irregularities in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation.
Nagendra, who was holding the Planning and Statistics portfolio, said he decided to step down voluntarily after meeting senior leaders of the Congress high command. He maintained that neither he nor Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had done anything wrong and accused the BJP of attempting to turn him into a political target.
“I resign voluntarily. My CM also believes that I have done no wrong. Development and CM’s vision should not get hampered,” Nagendra said, adding that he had been portrayed as an accused despite being innocent.
The resignation comes amid renewed political pressure over the diversion of around ₹89 crore from the Valmiki corporation. The BJP has made Nagendra’s resignation a central demand of its upcoming campaign, which will begin in Raichur on September 1 and conclude in Ballari.
Nagendra has repeatedly rejected allegations that he played any role in the irregularities. He pointed to investigations by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), as well as probes by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED), while alleging that his name was unnecessarily included in a subsequent chargesheet.
He also accused the Opposition of using the issue for political gains, arguing that the BJP had disrupted legislative proceedings instead of allowing discussions on other issues facing Karnataka.
The controversy has followed Nagendra before. In 2024, he had resigned from Siddaramaiah’s cabinet as ST Welfare Minister after allegations surfaced over the diversion of funds linked to the Karnataka Scheduled Tribes Development Board.
The BJP, however, has continued to target him. BJP MLC N Ravi Kumar alleged that government funds were transferred to hundreds of accounts and claimed that the money was diverted for political and personal purposes. The allegations remain the subject of investigations.
The BJP and JD(S) have announced their 10-day padayatra from Raichur to Ballari, turning the Valmiki corporation case into a major political flashpoint for the Karnataka government.
With Nagendra now out of the cabinet, the resignation may temporarily ease the Opposition’s demand for his removal, but it is unlikely to end the political battle over the alleged scam, with multiple investigating agencies continuing to examine the case.
