The Karnataka Congress Legislature Party has decided to fly to Delhi to meet with the party's high command in connection with MUDA scam.
Published Aug 22, 2024 | 9:25 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 22, 2024 | 9:25 PM
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar
The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Karnataka, on 22 August, Thursday decided to unanimously condemn Gov’s order allowing the prosecution of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in connection with the alleged MUDA scam.
Speaking to the media after the CLP meeting, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said, “In the CLP meeting, all the MLAs have unanimously decided to stand with the Chief Minister. The CLP has announced support for Siddaramaiah and the Congress is raising its voice in support of the CM.”
Elaborating further on the party’s decision, he said, “Senior MLA RV Deshpande has unanimously proposed it and MLA Tanveer Sait gave his nod to the decision. All the legislators have expressed a unanimous opinion on the matter. The Governor is just playing politics. Without any basis, he has decided to permit to prosecute the CM.”
So, the party leaders have decided to condemn the Governor on his order, he said.
“People of Karnataka have blessed the Congress with 136 seats in the Assembly elections. The BJP-JD(S) alliance is making efforts to topple the government though it is impossible for them,” he charged.
On the Congress leaders’ visit to Delhi, the Dy CM said, “We are flying to Delhi to meet the party leadership on Friday (23 August). We have asked for an appointment to meet with the party’s high command. We have also appealed to the court regarding the Governor’s order. We trust in the justice system and we are confident that we will get a favourable order from the court.”
Referring to the “conspiracy” to ban MP Rahul Gandhi for seven years over a speech, “A big conspiracy is being hatched against the Congress.
The alleged scam in the MUDA (Mysuru Urban Development Authority) transfer of land case, involves 3.16 acres of land. It was gifted to CM’s wife Parvathi by her brother in 2010 and was then acquired by MUDA to develop a layout. The Authority allocated 14 premium sites to her in Vijayanagar locality in 2022 as compensation, under a 50:50 formula.
As this became public, it set off a massive controversy with the BJP taking it up in a big way both in the street and the legislature session. The party had also launched a ‘padayatra’ from Bengaluru to Mysuru – Mysuru Chalo – to highlight the issue, demanding that the CM resign with the charge that he pressured the officials to allocate sites.
Siddaramaiah had challenged this saying he has no role in it since the site allocation was made when the BJP was in power in the state. Thus began the slugfest.
The Governor gave his sanction for investigation on 17 August.
(Edited by Neena with inputs from Mahesh M Goudar)
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