Yediyurappa demands Minister B Nagendra's resignation over alleged scam and officer's suicide

Shivamogga: Veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa on Wednesday demanded the resignation of Scheduled Tribes Welfare Minister B Nagendra, following allegations of embezzlement of crores of rupees from a state-run corporation in his department, and a suicide death of an official linking him to it.

"It is unfortunate that an officer has died by suicide. It should not have happened. I demand that action should be taken against those he has named (in the suicide note)," Yediyurappa told reporters here.

Stating that there is a demand that Minister B Nagendra should resign in connection with the case, he said, "I demand that he quit voluntarily."

The alleged misappropriation of funds to the tune of Rs 87 crore came to light after an accounts superintendent at the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd, Chandrashekhar, died by suicide on Sunday evening, leaving behind a death note.

He has named the corporation's Managing Director J G Padmanabh, accounts officer Parashuram Durugannavar and Union Bank of India Chief Manager Suchismita Rawal in the note, while also stating that the minister had issued oral orders to transfer the funds.

The former chief minister also expressed confidence about the party winning maximum number of seats in the Lok Sabha and upcoming MLC polls.

"In the Lok Sabha polls, we will hundred percent win 20-22 seats (out of 28) as the atmosphere is in favour of our party. We are making efforts to win the maximum number of seats in the legislative council polls, and I'm confident that we will be successful in that," he said.

Asked about former MLA K Raghupati Bhat contesting the council polls as a rebel from the South West Graduates constituency, the former CM said, "I don't want to speak anything about him. We had given him all the due positions and responsibilities. Despite that, he is adamant and is contesting. I'm confident that people will take appropriate decision."

The BJP had on Saturday expelled Bhat from the party for six years, after he refused to withdraw his candidature as an independent candidate for the MLC polls from the South West Graduates constituency.

Biennial elections to six seats (three each from graduates’ and teachers’ constituencies) of the Karnataka Legislative Council are to be held on June 3.