Nagendra likely to quit Karnataka Cabinet over tribal welfare case

Karnataka Minister B Nagendra is likely to resign from the Cabinet amid BJP protests and Opposition pressure over his induction into the ministry. Nagendra has reportedly offered to quit, with Chief Minister D K Shivakumar awaiting Congress high command approval

Bengaluru: Minister for Planning and Statistics, B. Nagendra, an accused in the alleged tribal welfare irregularities case is likely to resign from the Karnataka Cabinet amid mounting pressure on the state government over his induction into the ministry.

According to insiders, Nagendra spoke to Karnataka Chief Minister, D.K. Shivakumar, over the phone and offered to resign, stating that his continuation in the Cabinet was unnecessarily causing embarrassment to the party. He is learnt to have told the Chief Minister that the BJP was targeting him and that he was willing to step down in the interest of the party’s image.

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The development comes against the backdrop of the BJP’s Raichur-to-Ballari padyatra, repeated disruptions in the Legislative Assembly and the abrupt conclusion of the Assembly session over Nagendra’s induction into the Cabinet.

Nagendra had recently defended his position at a press conference, alleging that the Opposition was targeting him because he was a Dalit leader. He had maintained that he was only an accused and not a convict, and questioned the BJP’s continued criticism of his induction into the Cabinet.

Sources said Nagendra told Shivakumar that the controversy surrounding him was causing unnecessary embarrassment to the party and therefore, he was ready to resign.

Shivakumar is learnt to have told Nagendra that he would convey his decision to the Congress high command and seek its approval before accepting the resignation. The high command had been closely involved in the recent Cabinet expansion exercise, and the Chief Minister is understood to be awaiting its green signal.

Sources indicated that Nagendra could submit his resignation later on Wednesday, subject to the high command’s approval.

The issue has also reportedly added to internal pressure within the Congress. Several senior leaders who were left out of the recent Cabinet expansion are said to be unhappy with the party leadership and have questioned the decision to induct Nagendra into the ministry.

With Opposition protests and internal dissent putting pressure on the government, the Congress leadership is now considering Nagendra’s resignation as a way of containing the political controversy and preventing further embarrassment to the party.

It can be noted that the Karnataka unit of the BJP announced to undertake a 200‑km padayatra from Raichur to Ballari between September 1 and 10 to highlight what it calls the failures of the government in the state. Ballari is the native district of Minister Nagendra and padyatra’s main focus has been Minister Nagendra’s resignation.