BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday held talks with Congress leader and LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi over the future of Planning and Statistics Minister B Nagendra who is in the eye of a storm over his alleged role in the multi-crore ST Corporation scam.
After the meeting, the Chief Minister said that Nagendra is ready to make any sacrifice in the interest of the party but ruled out the minister’s resignation as of yet.
The Chief Minister’s discussions with Gandhi lasted for over one hour with All-India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary (Karnataka in-charge) Randeep Singh Surjewala joining them, according to sources. Later Shivakumar and Surjewala held talks with Nagendra who was in Delhi, they added.
BJP is scheduled to launch a 10-day padayatra from Raichur to Ballari, the ST belt, from September 1 demanding the dismissal of Nagendra for his alleged involvement in the scam.
Meanwhile, BJP has also sought the intervention of Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot whom the CBI had, reportedly, approached seeking the nod to prosecute the minister.
“He is a huge asset to our party; he has won the assembly election four times. We all know that there is no fault of his, but BJP is doing politics. For the party’s interest, he is ready for any sacrifice,” Shivakumar told reporters after calling on Rahul. He added that it is up to the high command to take a call on the matter. “There is no case at all; this case is created by BJP. It is an issue without an issue,’’ the Chief Minister said.
“Just because he defeated their prominent leader (B Sriramulu) and we won around 17 ST seats, the BJP leaders simply cannot digest it. That is why they are trying to create a narrative out of nothing,” he alleged.
“If they want to hold a padayatra, how can we stop them? Let them do it. But inside the Assembly, they lacked the basic courtesy to issue a proper notice and debate why a resignation is needed,” he said.
Meanwhile, Shivakumar said that Rahul will be visiting Karnataka soon to attend the gig workers’ conference in Bengaluru.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi also held discussion with Shivakumar in Delhi over the Nagendra issue. He is backing Nagendra as minister come what may, according to sources.
