Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has accepted the resignation of Congress MLA B Nagendra from the state Council of Ministers with immediate effect, following a recommendation from Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.
Nagendra had submitted his resignation on Friday amid mounting political pressure over allegations linked to the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation case.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
Resignation accepted: Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot accepted B Nagendra's resignation with immediate effect.
Political pressure: Nagendra stepped down amid sustained Opposition pressure over the Valmiki Corporation case.
₹89-crore controversy: The case involves alleged irregularities involving around ₹89 crore.
Second resignation: Nagendra has now resigned from the Karnataka Cabinet for the second time amid the same controversy.
Congress setback: The resignation comes only weeks after Nagendra was re-inducted into the Cabinet.
Opposition campaign: BJP and JD(S) continue to make the case a major political issue in Karnataka.
The Governor accepted the resignation under Article 164(1) of the Constitution, according to an official notification dated August 29 and released on Sunday.
Nagendra had been serving as Karnataka's Minister for Planning and Statistics. His resignation comes just around 25 days after he was re-inducted into the Shivakumar-led Cabinet during its recent expansion. He had taken oath as a minister on August 3.
The resignation is linked to the continuing political controversy surrounding alleged financial irregularities in the Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation, involving funds estimated at around ₹89 crore.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
B Nagendra's resignation is significant because it represents the first ministerial exit from the D.K. Shivakumar-led Cabinet and comes shortly after his re-induction. The development also gives the Karnataka Opposition fresh ammunition against the Congress government, with BJP and JD(S) already using the Valmiki Corporation controversy to target the administration. The continuing investigations by central agencies could further influence the political debate around the case.
Nagendra has denied having any role in the alleged irregularities. While announcing his resignation, he said he was stepping down voluntarily to prevent embarrassment to the Congress party and the state government.
The Opposition BJP and JD(S) had intensified their campaign against the Congress government, demanding Nagendra's removal and raising the Valmiki Corporation issue during the Karnataka legislature's monsoon session.
The Opposition protests had disrupted proceedings, with the Assembly session eventually being curtailed by three days. The BJP has continued to make the alleged irregularities a major political issue against the Congress government.
The development also comes amid reports that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had sought sanction from the Governor to prosecute Nagendra. The CBI and Enforcement Directorate have both investigated the case, and Nagendra has been named in chargesheets filed in connection with the alleged scam.
Nagendra's resignation marks his second exit from a Karnataka Cabinet in connection with the same controversy. He had earlier resigned from the Siddaramaiah Cabinet in June 2024 following allegations of financial irregularities involving the Valmiki Corporation. He was subsequently arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in July 2024 and later granted bail.
The latest resignation is therefore a significant political setback for the Congress government in Karnataka, particularly because Nagendra had only recently returned to the Cabinet.
The BJP has welcomed the development and maintained that sustained Opposition pressure forced the government to act. The party has also announced a 10-day padayatra from Raichur to Ballari beginning September 1, during which it plans to continue raising the Nagendra and Valmiki Corporation issues.
