Kolar/Bengaluru, Aug 9 (PTI) Karnataka BJP on Sunday urged Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to drop Minister B Nagendra from the Cabinet over allegations of financial irregularities involving crores of rupees at a state-run corporation.
The opposition party warned that it would protest the issue both inside and outside the legislature. The monsoon session of the Karnataka legislature begins on August 13.
Nagendra, who resigned from the previous Siddaramaiah-led Cabinet following allegations of embezzlement of funds from the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation, was inducted into the D K Shivakumar-led Ministry on August 3.
“There are serious allegations against Nagendra, and a charge sheet has been filed against him. The allegations are that, as a Minister, he was involved in embezzling crores of rupees from the Valmiki Development Corporation, transferring the money to several bank accounts in Telangana, withdrawing it and misusing it,” state BJP president B Y Vijayendra said.
Speaking to reporters in Kolar, he said the BJP strongly condemned the decision to make a minister of a person who had “looted” money meant for the development of children from the Scheduled Tribes community.
“When the session begins, we will fight on this issue in the House. He should be dropped from the Cabinet, and we will fight on this issue both inside and outside the Assembly,” he added.
The Enforcement Directorate arrested Nagendra in the Valmiki Corporation case in July 2024. A special court in Bengaluru granted him bail in October that year.
Responding to a question about reports that agencies were gathering information on Nagendra’s travel to Delhi, allegedly in violation of his bail conditions, Vijayendra said, “If he has violated (the conditions), the court will take necessary action.” Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, demanded that the CM immediately seek Nagendra’s resignation, failing which the BJP would stage a massive protest.
“The case against him is still ongoing in court, and despite orders that he should not leave Karnataka, Nagendra has twice visited New Delhi in violation of the court orders. This information is viral on social media, and there should be strict legal action against him,” he added. PTI KSU SSK
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