Congress leader B Nagendra broke down on Friday evening as he announced his resignation from DK Shivakumar’s Karnataka Cabinet amid relentless fire from the BJP over corruption allegations that had forced him to quit two years earlier too. He’d made a comeback in the first week of August when Shivakumar replaced Siddaramaiah as chief minister in the Congress government.
At a press meet where he announced he’s quitting, Nagendra said, “I believe in the Constitution… We asked the BJP many times to come and discuss the allegations against me in the Assembly, but they didn’t. Nagendra, a prominent ST leader who was the Tribal Welfare Minister in Siddaramaiah’s cabinet before the party decided to make Shivakumar the CM, had resigned in June 2024 amid the controversy. He was re-inducted on August 3 after Shivakumar took over, and got the Planning and Statistics portfolio.
He alleged that the BJP wants to “impose the Manusmriti” and has an “anti-tribal mindset”.
Karnataka BJP Launches 10-Day March to Challenge Congress Government
The Karnataka BJP has initiated a 10-day foot march, set to take place from September 1 to September 10, traveling from Raichur to Ballari. This event aims to spotlight the alleged shortcomings of the Congress government in the state. Key issues to be addressed during the 200-km padayatra include farmer distress, unemployment, and claims of corruption in recruitment processes. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi is scheduled to inaugurate the march, as confirmed by state BJP chief BY Vijayendra. The re-induction of Nagendra into the party is anticipated to be a significant topic of discussion throughout the event.
