Bengaluru: The ruling Congress is divided over the scam-accused B Nagendra’s resignation as minister. KPCC president B K Hariprasad on Saturday asserted that Nagendra had resigned on “moral grounds” and it was a conspiracy against a Dalit leader..“BJP says it’s one wicket down. Is politics an IPL match? They should worry about how many of them have been chargesheeted, jailed and are under investigation.
BJP office is not a court. SIT took action against the officials involved, but the ED jailed Nagendra without any evidence. SIT chargesheet didn’t name Nagendra. While granting bail, the ED failed to show evidence that Rs 94.73 crore was received or used by Nagendra,” he said..Hariprasad dared the BJP to speak about corruption at the ‘Ballari Padayatre’ citing the 2011 Lokayukta illegal mining report, Janardhana Reddy’s 3-year jail time, CBI conviction, and B S Yediyurappa’s judicial custody..’I have faith, he will be cleared of all charges’: Karnataka CM Shivakumar, Dy CM Parameshwara back Nagendra after he quits.Former minister and ST leader K N Rajanna said that inducting Nagendra into the Cabinet while the case was still active, was a “mistake”..“It might not sound right, but Nagendra should not have been included in the Cabinet in the first place.
The very case for which he resigned is still active. I have sympathy for Nagendra as he is made a scapegoat. Pushing Nagendra into this state was wrong,” said Rajanna who too was forced to step down from the Siddaramaiah Cabinet last year over his “vote theft” remarks that were contrary to the party’s stance..PWD minister and ST leader Satish Jarkiholi said since Nagendra has resigned, the matter is “closed”..“The issue has caused embarrassment to the party.
But Nagendra need not resign as an MLA as people have elected him for five years. The scam issue had concluded two years back,” said Jarkiholi reiterating Rajanna’s demand to induct another ST leader in his place.
Source: www.deccanherald.com
