Bengaluru: B Nagendra has submitted his resignation as Planning and Statistics Minister, saying he was stepping down voluntarily to ensure that the controversy surrounding him did not cause embarrassment to the Congress, its high command or the government. Nagendra met Chief Minister DK Shivakumar at the latter’s official residence, Krishna, and handed over his resignation letter.
Nagendra, who had been in the ministerial post for about 25 days, announced his decision amid allegations surrounding the Valmiki Corporation case and sustained pressure from the Opposition BJP. During an emotional press conference, Nagendra said he was bowing to the Constitution and was resigning of his own accord because he did not want the controversy to affect the party or impede development work.
Nagendra also said he was prepared to resign as an MLA and challenged BJP leaders, including leaders from Ballari, to face him in the “people’s court” through an election. He accused the BJP of targeting an innocent person and challenged its leaders to contest against the Congress.
The source material describes allegations of a Rs 187-crore scam in the Valmiki Corporation and says the BJP had been demanding Nagendra’s resignation both inside and outside the legislature. The BJP had also announced an overnight protest and plans for a padayatra.
The material further states that the CBI had sought prosecution and that the Governor had referred the issue of prosecution to the Cabinet, adding to the pressure on Nagendra.
Nagendra rejected the allegations against him and expressed confidence that he would emerge free of the charges. He challenged those accusing him of wrongdoing to take the issue before the people and said further cases could be filed against him but that he was prepared to face them.
Reacting to the resignation, Opposition leader R Ashoka described it as the fall of the government’s first “wicket”. BJP leaders said Nagendra’s resignation would not end their agitation and maintained that their campaign would continue over the Valmiki Corporation issue. They characterised the resignation as the first success of their protest.
Shivakumar, however, rejected the suggestion that the government had yielded to the Opposition. He defended Nagendra as innocent and said he had examined the reports and discussed the matter. Shivakumar said the manner in which the BJP had treated Nagendra, whom he described as a Dalit leader and a four-time winner, had caused pain not only to Nagendra but also to people more broadly.
In a separate reaction, Shivakumar confirmed that Nagendra had personally handed the resignation letter to him. He said he would inform the Congress high command in Delhi and take a decision the following morning.
“He has officially resigned from his position in the interest of the party. He does not want to trouble the government and the party,” Shivakumar said in English during his interaction with reporters, according to the supplied material. He described Nagendra as a Congress leader who had sacrificed his position for the second time.
Shivakumar said he knew the entire case, had studied it and had been briefed by his advocates. He asserted that Nagendra was in no way connected to the matter and had done nothing wrong. Despite that, he said, Nagendra had respected the party and submitted his resignation because the party and the government were bigger than an individual.
Asked whether the development amounted to a victory for the BJP and JD(S), Shivakumar rejected the contention. He accused the Opposition parties of making false allegations and targeting a Dalit leader. When told that the Opposition had demanded Nagendra’s removal from office, Shivakumar said they were free to celebrate.
He also criticised the Opposition’s conduct in the legislature, alleging that it had not allowed discussion even when the government was prepared for it. He questioned what wrongdoing had actually been established against Nagendra.
The supplied material says the controversy had intensified pressure on Nagendra, with the BJP making his resignation a central demand of its agitation. It also attributes political calculations to the Congress high command, including concern that Nagendra’s continuation in the Cabinet could provide the BJP with an issue for further campaigning. These are assertions contained in the source material and are not independently established by the supplied transcript.
Nagendra maintained that his resignation was intended to prevent embarrassment to the party and government, while the BJP claimed the development as a result of its agitation. Shivakumar, on the other hand, maintained that the resignation was Nagendra’s own sacrifice in the interests of the Congress and the government and said a further decision would be taken after consultation with the party high command.
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