Karnataka Minister B Nagendra denies reports of resignation over Valmiki Corporation case

Karnataka Minister B Nagendra on Wednesday denied media reports that he had offered to resign from the state Cabinet over the Valmiki Corporation corruption case.

Reports had claimed that Nagendra had met Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and offered to step down, saying he did not want to cause further embarrassment to the party leadership.

Nagendra's office dismissed the reports as untrue.

"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. I request your cooperation," Nagendra said in a statement issued by his office.

The development comes amid continued demands from the Opposition BJP and JD(S) for Nagendra's removal from the Cabinet over alleged irregularities of around Rs 89 crore in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation.

The Opposition had disrupted proceedings during the Monsoon Session of the Karnataka Legislature with protests and sloganeering inside and outside Vidhana Soudha. The session was adjourned sine die on August 24, three days ahead of its scheduled conclusion.

The Valmiki Corporation case came to light in May 2024 after the corporation's accounts officer, Chandrasekharan P, died by suicide and left behind a note alleging unauthorised transfers of funds.

Subsequent investigations alleged that large amounts of money were transferred from the corporation's bank accounts to various accounts, triggering a political controversy and demands for Nagendra's resignation.

Nagendra, who was the Tribal Welfare Minister at the time, resigned from the Cabinet in June 2024 amid the controversy. He was later arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the case.

He was reinducted into the Karnataka Cabinet on August 3, 2026, a move that was opposed by the BJP and JD(S).

For now, Nagendra has made it clear that there has been no discussion with the chief minister about his resignation.

(Inputs from PTI)