Karnataka Planning and Statistics Minister B Nagendra on Friday tendered his resignation from the Cabinet amid allegations of corruption in the Valmiki Corporation scam. Nagendra was inducted into the DK Shivakumar Cabinet 25 days back.
He announced his resignation shortly after he said he would meet CM DK Shivakumar and announce his decision at a press conference. "Today I am voluntarily tendering my resignation as the minister," Nagendra told reporters as he broke down in tears.
He said that he had submitted his resignation to the Karnataka CM. Since his re-induction into the Cabinet, the Opposition BJP and JD(S) had been protesting against him as he had to resign from the state Cabinet two years back over the same issue.
Back then, the CM was Siddaramaiah. The BJP and JD(S) have accused him of being involved in the Rs 89-crore Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation scam.
Nagendra announced his resignation in a choked voice but sharp words against the BJP. He compared the BJP's targeting of him to Lord Rama's killing of Shambuka. He alleged that the "manuwadis", apparently referring to the saffron party, never wanted a tribal person to rise.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka BJP leaders termed his resignation as a "victory" for their sustained protest over the alleged scam.
While talking to the media, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka said that the resignation marked the first setback for the DK Shivakumar-led Congress government.
"Our struggle, and the struggle of our workers, resulted in this government losing its first wicket in the form of Nagendra's resignation," Ashoka said.
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"This government headed by Shivakumar has not even completed three months. Nagendra has not even completed 25 or 26 days as a minister, and already one wicket has fallen. Going forward, there will only be more wickets falling."