Karnataka Assembly disrupted for 4th day as opposition demands Nagendra’s removal

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Aug 20, 2026: Proceedings in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly were disrupted for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday as the Opposition BJP and JD(S) continued their protest demanding the removal of Minister B. Nagendra over alleged embezzlement in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation.

As the session began, Opposition members raised the issue and demanded that Nagendra be immediately dropped from the Cabinet. They wore black armbands as a mark of protest.

Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka accused the government of failing to act on the alleged diversion of funds meant for the ST community. “We have been protesting against the loot of ST community money for the last four days. For Nagendra, the House has not been able to function,” he said.

Speaker G.S. Patil urged the Opposition to participate in the proceedings and seek answers from the government. However, Ashoka insisted that discussions could resume only after Nagendra’s removal.

Ashoka also accused Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara of misleading the House on Wednesday by defending Nagendra despite his name allegedly figuring in multiple charge sheets. Parameshwara had defended Nagendra’s re-induction into the Cabinet and criticised the Opposition’s protests.

Ashoka further alleged that former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had earlier removed Nagendra from the Cabinet, but Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and the Congress high command later brought him back.

The allegations triggered heated exchanges between the Opposition and treasury benches, with some Congress MLAs, including Pradeep Eshwar, engaging in counter-sloganeering.

Amid the protests, the Speaker continued with Question Hour, during which some Congress MLAs raised questions with ministers. He later asked Ashoka to participate in a discussion on the drought situation, but the Opposition leader questioned the need for a debate when the government had not declared drought or released relief funds.

As sloganeering continued despite repeated appeals from the Speaker, the House was adjourned for some time.

The Opposition has already announced that it will not allow the Monsoon Session to function unless Nagendra is removed from the Cabinet.

Nagendra, who had resigned from the previous Siddaramaiah Cabinet following allegations of embezzlement in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation, was inducted into the Shivakumar-led Cabinet on August 3. He is currently the Minister for Planning and Statistics.

The Enforcement Directorate arrested the Ballari MLA in July 2024 in connection with the Valmiki corporation scam. A special court in Bengaluru granted him bail in October 2024. Nagendra has been named in the chargesheets filed by the ED and CBI in the case.