BJP aims to corner Shivakumar over Cabinet spot for ‘scam-tainted’ Nagendra

The BJP has threatened to hinder the functioning of the Karnataka state legislature during the upcoming monsoon session unless Chief Minister D K Shivakumar removes B Nagendra from his Cabinet. Nagendra, a member of the Congress party, was previously the Scheduled Tribes Welfare Minister and the chairman of the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Limited.

He was arrested in connection with the Valmiki corporation scam, where he allegedly received illegal gratification of Rs 1.2 crore and was investigated for money laundering related to the misappropriation of Rs 94.73 crore. Nagendra, a mining baron from Bellary district, was also accused of illegally transporting iron ore in a state-wide mining scam in 2011.

He has been a minister four times, initially representing the BJP and subsequently the Congress. On Monday, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra stated that the party would not allow the legislature to meet if Shivakumar did not remove Nagendra from his Cabinet. The Congress leader has been accused of violating bail conditions and traveling to Delhi.

However, Shivakumar has defended Nagendra, stating that being an accused does not disqualify a legislator from becoming a minister and that other ministers in the country are also on bail.