CH NEWS, BENGALURU
Political friction in the state intensified sharply as School Education and Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa launched a scathing attack on the opposition, claiming that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) orchestrated the recent resignation of B. Nagendra out of deep-seated animosity toward rising Dalit leaders. Speaking to reporters at the home office in Bengaluru, Bangarappa argued that the emotional exit of the four-time MLA over what he termed fabricated allegations regarding the Valmiki Corporation scam would ultimately backfire and ruin the opposition party’s electoral prospects across Karnataka.
Defending his former cabinet colleague, Bangarappa asserted that Nagendra is completely innocent and that internal administrative reviews confirm there is no substance to the corruption claims. He accused rival politicians of deliberately targeting a prominent Scheduled Caste representative to derail his political growth. Furthermore, the minister took direct aim at Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok, sarcastically questioning whether the senior BJP leader was acting as an official Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officer while demanding immediate action. He also reminded critics of past controversies involving state BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra, asking reporters if critics had conveniently forgotten earlier forgery allegations.
Shifting focus to the broader political alliance between the BJP and the Janata Dal (Secular), Bangarappa condemned their ongoing protest marches. He challenged their moral authority by pointing out that the Governor has withheld prosecution sanction against Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy for three years, accusing the opposition of maintaining double standards in how legal accountability is applied to coalition members versus ruling party leaders.
The minister also expressed frustration over the recent legislative session, alleging that opposition parties intentionally disrupted proceedings out of political malice rather than engaging in meaningful debate. He noted that the government was fully prepared to discuss pressing public matters, such as regional drought conditions, the Cauvery water dispute, and the Kasturi Rangan committee report. Instead, he claimed, legislative time was wasted on fabricated controversies. As political maneuvering continues to dominate the state capital, the fallout from Nagendra’s departure is expected to widen the chasm between the ruling administration and the opposition alliance in the weeks ahead.