Karnataka Minister for Scheduled Tribes Welfare, Sports, and Youth Services, B Nagendra, has tendered his resignation amidst allegations of a scam involving the Valmiki Welfare Board. This resignation marks the first ministerial departure from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s year-old cabinet, formed after the Congress party came to power in May last year.
On Friday, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah wrote to Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot and said "Sri. B. Nagendra Minister-pr Youth Services, Sports and Tribal Welfare. has tendered his resignation to the Council of Ministers. I recommend the same may be accepted with immediate effect."
The scandal erupted following the death of Chandrashekaran P, the Superintendent of the Karnataka Maharishi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation (KMVSTDC). Chandrashekaran allegedly died by suicide on May 26, leaving a note that accused senior officials of coercing him to facilitate the misappropriation of funds. This tragic event has intensified scrutiny on the Congress-led government, with accusations of funds being transferred to private accounts for use in the Lok Sabha elections in Telangana and other regions.
Valmiki Corporation 'Scam': Karnataka Minister Resigns
Nagendra, a four-time MLA, has been at the center of controversy due to his alleged involvement in the tribal board staffer's suicide and accusations of orchestrating the transfer of Rs 187 crore from the Tribal Welfare Board's account to "fake accounts" in a Telangana bank for election campaigning purposes.
In his resignation letter, Nagendra stated he was stepping down voluntarily and claimed innocence. "I am innocent. I am submitting my resignation out of my own will, and not due to any pressure. The media has been reporting on the issue, and allegations have been leveled against me for the past 10 days," Nagendra said, as per IANS, while addressing reporters at the Vidhana Soudha.
The resignation comes at a time when the Congress government is facing challenges following a disappointing performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections, where it failed to secure double-digit seats. The political fallout from the KMVSTDC scam has added to the pressure on the Siddaramaiah administration.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar commented on Nagendra's resignation, emphasising that it was a voluntary decision to prevent further embarrassment for the party. "Nagendra offered to resign voluntarily to avoid embarrassment for the party. He was not asked by the state Congress to step down," Shivakumar stated.