Karnataka Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka on Monday, 3 August mounted a sharp attack on the state's Congress government over the reinduction of B. Nagendra into the Karnataka Cabinet, alleging that a leader implicated in the alleged ₹187-crore Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation scam had been rewarded with a ministerial berth. The broadside came hours after the Congress government expanded the Cabinet by swearing in 19 legislators as ministers.

The Valmiki Corporation Scam Allegation

Ashoka alleged that funds earmarked for the education, housing, and welfare of Scheduled Tribe communities had been misappropriated under the watch of the Valmiki Development Corporation. He further claimed that then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had himself acknowledged irregularities in the corporation on the floor of the Assembly. 'Despite this, the Congress has once again rewarded B. Nagendra with a ministerial berth without any sense of accountability,' Ashoka alleged.

Ashoka's Accountability Charge

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader alleged that the Congress government had consistently failed to fix responsibility in major controversies during its tenure. He cited the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede — in which 11 people reportedly lost their lives during IPL victory celebrations — as another instance where, he claimed, no accountability had been established. Critics argue that the BJP's charges are part of a sustained opposition campaign ahead of local body elections, though the allegations themselves relate to specific incidents under investigation.

Shivakumar Branded 'Rubber-Stamp'

Ashoka reserved his sharpest criticism for Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, alleging that the CM had failed to exercise the constitutional prerogative vested exclusively in his office when constituting the Cabinet. 'It is entirely the Chief Minister's discretion to decide which legislators should take oath as Ministers. The Constitution has vested this authority in the Chief Minister,' Ashoka said. He went on to describe Shivakumar as a 'rubber-stamp Chief Minister,' alleging that the CM was unable to act independently. 'What is the use of having a rubber-stamp Chief Minister who is incapable of exercising that authority?' Ashoka said, also challenging Shivakumar to resign if he could not function independently.

Congress Government's Position

The Congress government has not issued a formal response to Ashoka's specific charges as of the time of reporting. Nagendra's reinduction into the Cabinet signals that the ruling party has, for now, backed the leader despite the ongoing controversy around the Valmiki Corporation case. The matter is reportedly still under investigation by relevant agencies, and no court has returned a conviction in the case.

What Comes Next

With the expanded Cabinet now in place, political pressure on the Congress government over the Valmiki Corporation scam is likely to intensify in the state legislature. The BJP has indicated it will continue to press the issue, and the case's legal trajectory will be closely watched. Whether Shivakumar can assert greater authority within his own government — or whether the 'rubber-stamp' charge gains political traction — may shape the Congress's standing in Karnataka in the months ahead.