B Nagendra’s ministerial exit formalised as Karnataka Governor accepts resignation

Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot accepts B Nagendra’s resignation on the recommendation of Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, amid the Valmiki Corporation scam controversy and fresh BJP protests. Karnataka Congress MLA B Nagendra is officially out of the state Cabinet after Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot accepted his resignation on the recommendation of Chief Minister D K Shivakumar. The Governor’s decision was communicated through an official notification dated August 29, which was released to the media on Sunday. The notification said Gehlot had accepted the Chief Minister’s recommendation and, exercising powers under Article 164(1) of the Constitution, accepted Nagendra’s resignation from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect. The development comes just days after Nagendra announced that he was stepping down from the Cabinet. His resignation came barely 25 days after he was inducted into the Shivakumar-led ministry during its recent expansion. Also Read: ‘Not Even an Inch’: Thousands join Tejasvi Surya’s ‘Walk in Lalbagh’ protest Nagendra had been given charge of the Planning and Statistics portfolio after his re-induction. His return to the Cabinet had already attracted attention because of the controversy surrounding the alleged ₹89-crore Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation scam. The Opposition had repeatedly targeted him over allegations of irregularities linked to the case. Nagendra has denied involvement in the alleged financial irregularities. While announcing his resignation, he had maintained that he was stepping down voluntarily to ensure that the issue did not cause embarrassment to the Congress party or the Karnataka government. The political pressure around the issue had also intensified in the state legislature. The BJP-JD(S) Opposition combine had stepped up protests against Nagendra and the Congress government, with the protests disrupting the monsoon session of the Karnataka legislature. The session was subsequently cut short by three days. Nagendra had formally submitted his resignation to Shivakumar. At that poin t, the Chief Minister had said that he would consult the Congress high command before taking a decision on the resignation. The CBI’s request for sanction to prosecute Nagendra is also und erstood to have been an important factor in the developments. Governor Gehlot had reportedly communicated the central agency’s request to the state government. The political pressure is expected to continue even after Nagendra’s exit from the Cabinet. Also Read: Karnataka to seek drought relief from Centre; Memorandum by first week of September The BJP has announced a 10-day padayatra from Raichur to Ballari, beginning September 1. During the march, the BJP plans to target the Congress government over what it describes as various failures and will also raise the Nagendra issue. This is not the first time Nagendra has had to leave the Karnataka Cabinet over the Valmiki Corporation controversy. He had earlier resigned from the Siddaramaiah Cabinet in June 2024, following allegations of financial irregularities in the Valmiki corporation. He was subsequently re-inducted into the ministry led by D K Shivakumar on August 3 this year. Before his re-induction, Nagendra had served as Minister for Scheduled Tribes Welfare, Youth Empowerment and Sports in the Siddaramaiah government. The legal proceedings connected to the alleged scam have also continued. The Enforcement Directorate arrested Nagendra in July 2024 in connection with the case. A special court in Bengaluru subsequently granted him bail in October 2024. Nagendra has since been named as an accused in chargesheets filed by both the ED and the CBI in connection with the alleged scam. With the Governor now formally accepting his resignation, Nagendra’s latest stint in the Karnataka Cabinet has come to an end after just a few weeks. His resignation also comes at a time when the Opposition is preparing to take the issue directly to the streets through its proposed statewide padayatra.