India, Aug. 28 -- Karnataka Minister B Nagendra announced his resignation from the state Cabinet led by chief minister DK Shivakumar, as well as from his MLA seat, on Friday, following allegations of his involvement in financial irregularities at the Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation.

In tears at a press conference, he said he had decided to "voluntarily step down" to avoid "embarrassment to the party" and that he was a victim of the BJP's "manuvadi" politics.

Nagendra's resignation came amid heightened political pressure on him and the Congress government over the alleged Valmiki Corporation scam. The BJP and JD(S) have been demanding the minister's resignation since his re-induction into the Cabinet on August 3,...