BENGALURU: Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Sunday accepted the resignation of Planning and Statistics Minister B Nagendra, bringing to an end his brief 25-day stint in Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s cabinet.
Nagendra’s exit has come as a setback for the state Congress government, which had brought him back into the Cabinet despite the political controversy surrounding the alleged Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation scam. Nagendra had earlier resigned as ST welfare minister in 2024, during Siddaramaiah’s tenure, after the alleged multi-crore scam came to light.
The BJP had been relentlessly targeting the Congress government over Nagendra’s re-induction, staging protests both inside and outside the legislature and demanding his dismissal.
Soon after the governor accepted the resignation on Sunday, Shivakumar left for Delhi to meet the high command and discuss the next course of action, particularly the filling of the two vacant cabinet berths.
Sources said Shivakumar is likely to seek the high command’s approval for the names before approaching the Lok Bhavan. A cabinet expansion is expected to take place shortly.
The Congress is also weighing the political and social equations while filling the vacancies. Sandur MLA Annapoorna, wife of Ballari MP E Tukaram and from the ST Nayaka community, is learnt to be among the frontrunners.
The second berth is likely to go to Byadgi MLA Basavaraj Shivannanavar, a Kuruba leader, whose induction has reportedly been strongly backed by former CM Siddaramaiah.
BJP padayatra will be held on Sept 1: Vijayendra
Bengaluru: BJP state president B Y Vijayendra on Sunday clarified that there was no confusion in the party or its alliance partner JDS over the proposed padayatra from Lingasuguru in Raichur district to Ballari on September 1 over the Maharshi Valmiki ST Corporation scam.
“There was some confusion among our leaders as Nagendra had already resigned and some questioned the need for the padayatra. I have discussed the matter with our national leaders and taken their permission,” Vijayendra told reporters.
Addressing the media at the BJP state office Jagannath Bhavan in Malleswaram, he said the scam involving former minister B Nagendra is among several issues that will be highlighted during the padayatra.
Vijayendra said he has personally spoken to JD(S) leader and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy and discussed the issue with him in the presence of LOP in Assembly R Ashoka. “I will speak to Kumaraswamy again. There may have been some misunderstanding. The padayatra will be held on 8-10 issues,” he said.