Bengaluru, August 28, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Karnataka Planning and Statistics Minister B. Nagendra has offered his resignation from the Cabinet amid allegations of irregularities, with Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar saying on Friday that he will consult the Congress high command before taking a final decision on the resignation.
Shivakumar said Nagendra met him and expressed his willingness to step down in the interest of the party, saying he did not want the controversy surrounding him to embarrass the Congress government or affect the ongoing Assembly proceedings.
“He does not want to embarrass the party. He is a true Congress Dalit leader,” Shivakumar said, adding that Nagendra had handed over his resignation letter.
The Chief Minister said he would communicate the development to the party’s central leadership and take a final call on the resignation on Saturday morning.
Shivakumar said Nagendra’s decision was personally painful for him, pointing out that the minister belongs to the Scheduled Caste community and had defeated a senior BJP leader twice in elections.
Defending Nagendra, Shivakumar said he had examined the allegations and maintained that the minister was “nowhere connected” to the alleged irregularities. He added that his legal team had also briefed him on the issue.
However, the Chief Minister said the party and government were bigger than any individual and praised Nagendra for putting the Congress ahead of his ministerial position.
“I have been telling that he is ready to sacrifice anything for the party. He has proved it today,” Shivakumar said, expressing confidence that Nagendra would eventually clear his name.
On the Governor’s communication seeking sanction for prosecution, Shivakumar said the government had received the request and that several aspects would have to be examined before a decision was taken within the legal framework.
“I cannot discriminate in legal matters. I will decide accordingly about prosecution,” he said.
Rejecting suggestions that Nagendra’s resignation represented a victory for the BJP and JD(S), Shivakumar said the opposition could consider it a victory if it wanted to.
“How is it a win? Dominating over one Dalit leader over false allegations, is it a win for them? Let them be happy,” he said.
Nagendra’s decision comes amid sustained pressure from the BJP, which has demanded his removal over the alleged irregularities. The issue has also disrupted the Karnataka Assembly proceedings, with opposition members stepping up their protests.
Shivakumar said Nagendra had sacrificed his ministerial position for the second time over the same controversy and reiterated that he would consult the Congress high command before deciding on the resignation.
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