Congress leader B Nagendra, after stepping down as Karnataka minister less than a month after his induction, slammed who he referred to as “Manuwadis”, and criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The Congress leader announced his resignation as the minister for planning and statistics in Karnataka as well as from his MLA seat after allegations of his involvement in financial irregularities at the Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation.
His resignation came amid political pressure on him and the Congress party over the alleged Valmiki Corporation scam. Despite the BJP’s repeated demands seeking Nagendra’s resignation, the Congress and CM DK Shivakumar had backed him publicly. However, the Congress in Karnataka took a firm stand to back Nagendra, stating that no court of law had convicted him. “Let the opposition parties give a notice to discuss the issue in the House. Nagendra himself had denied reports that he had offered to resign, saying there was no discussion regarding the same. “The reports currently being aired in the media are completely untrue. I have not received any call from the Chief Minister’s Office, and there has been no discussion regarding any resignation. The saffron party had been stepping up pressure on the government to seek his resignation.
The BJP has been demanding his resignation since his induction into chief minister DK Shivakumar’s cabinet on August 3.
Nagendra on Friday said the BJP could not “scare him” with ED and CBI, while claiming that he had been “targeted” by “Manuwadis” because they did not want a tribal man to grow, PTI news agency reported. Nagendra, in tears while relaying his decision, said he was stepping down of his own will to avoid “embarrassment” to his party. “I am resigning of my own will to avoid the embarrassment that may cost my party because of unnecessary allegations made by the opposition party against me,” he said, while alleging that he was a “victim” of BJP’s “Manuwadi” politics. There are many Union ministers facing criminal cases by the Enforcement Directorate (ED),” CM Shivakumar had said, adding that there was no question of seeking Nagendra’s resignation. I request your cooperation,” a statement from Nagendra’s office said, according to PTI. Earlier reporting noted: At a press conference, he said he had decided to “voluntarily step down” to avoid ’embarrassment to the party’ and that he was a victim of the BJP’s ‘manuvadi’ politics.
The BJP and its ally JD(S) had earlier this week mobilised large number of workers and taken out a protest march to the Vidhana Soudha, seeking Nagendra’s removal as minister. Earlier reporting noted: Karnataka minister B Nagendra resigns, steps down as MLA amid allegations of financial irregularities Karnataka Minister B Nagendra announced his resignation from the state Cabinet as well as an MLA on Friday following allegations of his involvement in the financial irregularities in the Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation. Earlier reporting noted: ‘Manuwadis targeted Me’: How Karnataka minister B Nagendra turned his resignation into a fight against BJP Karnataka minister B Nagendra resgined from the state cabinet on Friday, announcing his decision at a press conference
