Karnataka Minister set to exit as Congress looks to preempt BJP, Governor

The Congress party in Karnataka is likely to see B Nagendra, the Planning and Statistics Minister, resign due to a looming CBI probe into a corruption case. Opposition BJP has announced a 170 km padayatra from Raichur to Ballari to demand Nagendra's resignation. Nagendra offered his resignation to Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday, but he denied receiving any call from the Chief Minister's Office.

The Congress' move to secure Nagendra's resignation contrasts with its stance during the disrupted monsoon session of the state Legislature when it had refused to relent on the BJP's demand for his removal. The possibility of Nagendra's resignation could lead to changes in the Cabinet, which currently lacks a woman minister. Annapurna Tukaram, a first-time woman MLA from Ballari, is a potential replacement for Nagendra.