Teary-eyed Karnataka minister B Nagendra resigns from cabinet, as MLA amid financial irregularity row | India News - Hindustan Times

**Karnataka Minister B. Nagendra Quits Cabinet and MLA Seat Amid Valmiki Corp Scam**

B. Nagendra, the Karnataka minister handling Rural Development and Panchayat‑Raj, tendered his resignation from both the state cabinet and his Legislative Assembly seat on Tuesday, tears in his eyes, as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) grappled with a fresh financial‑irregularity scandal. The decision came after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a detailed charge‑sheet alleging that Nagendra, while serving as the chairman of the state‑run Valmiki Corporation, facilitated the misallocation of funds amounting to ₹ 210 crore to a series of shell companies linked to his close associates. The probe, which began in early 2025, intensified after whistle‑blower reports highlighted irregular tender processes and inflated invoices for infrastructure projects under the corporation’s purview.

The resignation marks Nagendra’s second departure from public office in as many years, each coinciding with a change in the chief minister’s office. He first stepped down in 2024 during the brief tenure of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, and again in 2025 under the short‑lived Shivakumar ministry. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, leading the Congress‑Janata Dal (Secular) coalition, expressed “regret over the loss of a colleague but welcomed the move as a step toward restoring public confidence.” The BJP, meanwhile, framed Nagendra’s resignation as a politically motivated act, with senior leader K. Shivakumar accusing the ruling coalition of “pressuring” the minister to quit before a scheduled CBI interrogation. The opposition parties have called for a fast‑track inquiry into the Valmiki Corporation’s finances, demanding that the state’s anti‑corruption watchdog, the Lokayukta, take over the case.

Nagendra’s exit is expected to deepen the political turbulence in Karnataka ahead of the 2027 state elections. The BJP will have to field a new candidate in the Hunsur constituency, a stronghold it has held since 2018, while the ruling coalition hopes to capitalize on the scandal to bolster its anti‑corruption narrative. Analysts note that the episode underscores the growing scrutiny of public‑sector enterprises in the state and could trigger wider reforms in tendering procedures and financial oversight. As the CBI continues its investigation, the resignation may also serve as a precedent for other ministers facing similar allegations, potentially reshaping the state’s political landscape.