BALLARI: An upset B Nagendra, Ballari Rural MLA and former minister in the Siddaramaiah cabinet, has not been attending public events in his constituency as he has not been given a ministerial berth again after his alleged involvement in the Valmiki Maharshi ST Development Corporation fund scam.
Recently, Labour Minister Santosh Lad visited Ballari and participated in a government event, but Nagendra, despite being in town, did not attend. He also regularly absents himself from the inauguration of many development projects and meetings. It is said that he played a major role in the election of eight MLAs in undivided Ballari district.
He resigned as minister after his name cropped up in the ST Corporation scam and the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) too arrested him in the case. During the parliamentary elections, after Nagendra got bail, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told Nagendra that he would get a ministerial berth, but that promise has not been met.
A Nagendra follower attributed the victory of MLAs and MPs from the North Karnataka region to the MLA. “He is certain to win the ST Corporation case. We will approach Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president DK Shivakumar, requesting a ministerial berth for our leader,” he added.