Nagendra row disrupts Karnataka Assembly for fifth straight day as BJP, JD(S) seek his removal

Karnataka Assembly proceedings were disrupted for the fifth consecutive day on Friday as BJP and JD(S) members protested demanding the removal of Minister B Nagendra over the alleged Rs 89 crore Valmiki corporation scam.

The issue was also raised in the Legislative Council, where Chief Minister D K Shivakumar asked the opposition to give notice and seek a discussion instead of disrupting the proceedings.

Shivakumar said the government was ready to allow a one-day or even two-day discussion on the issue. He also said he was prepared to explain Nagendra's reinduction into the Cabinet and answer questions from the opposition.

"If the opposition has any new information from the CBI, ED or SIT, let them place it before the House," Shivakumar said.

The Chief Minister said Nagendra had earlier resigned from the Siddaramaiah Cabinet to facilitate an inquiry into the allegations. He questioned the basis of the renewed demand for his removal and said allegations of corruption should be discussed in the Legislature before being made against the minister or the government.

In the Assembly, BJP and JD(S) members raised slogans demanding that Nagendra be dropped from the Cabinet as soon as the House met.

Despite the protest, the Speaker continued with the listed business. Three bills were passed without discussion -- the Karnataka Apartment (Ownership and Management) Bill, 2026, the Karnataka Municipal Corporations (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Karnataka Municipalities (Amendment) Bill, 2026.

The House was later adjourned for the day.

Nagendra, a Ballari MLA, had resigned from the previous Siddaramaiah-led Cabinet after allegations surfaced in connection with the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation case. He was reinducted into the D K Shivakumar-led Cabinet on August 3 and is currently the Minister for Planning and Statistics.

The ED arrested Nagendra in July 2024 in connection with the case. A Special Court in Bengaluru granted him bail in October that year.

Nagendra has been named in the chargesheets filed by the ED and CBI in the case.

(With inputs from PTI)