MUDA scam: Congress high command adopts cautious approach

The opposition parties BJP and JD (S) demanded Siddaramaiah to step down on moral grounds, causing concern among the Congress leadership

Hyderabad: With the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land allotment scam still raging on and threatening to unsettle the Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka, the Congress high command is adopting a wait and watch approach.

Karnataka Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot had sanctioned the prosecution of the Chief Minister in the scam. This triggered widespread agitations and the opposition parties BJP and JD (S) demanded Siddaramaiah to step down on moral grounds, causing concern among the Congress leadership. In this context, Karnataka Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi’s comments on Tuesday bear significance. Any trouble to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would have a cascading effect on the Congress government in Telangana, he had said, triggering discussions in the political circles and general public alike.

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The Minister said “If Siddaramaiah faces trouble, Telangana Chief Minister will be the next to get notices. He will also have to step down.” He wanted the Congress high command to take a political decision asking them not to step down. He also wanted party leaders to rally behind the leaders. And this is what has prompted the party high command to tread cautiously.

What is the MUDA scam

It is all about nearly three acres of land that was gifted to Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi by her brother Mallikarjunaswamy in 2010. After MUDA acquired the land, Parvathi sought compensation and was allotted 14 plots. Interestingly, the value of these plots was higher than the land acquired by MUDA from Parvathi, according to reports. The opposition parties have been charging that the total value of the irregularities committed in the land allotment could be over Rs.4000 crore.

Siddaramaiah, DK meet high command

With the High Court hearing slated on August 29, Siddaramaiah accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shiva Kumar met AICC Chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Friday. Though the AICC assured to extend all support and rally behind Siddaramaiah, it was also very cautious over the steps to be taken. It is said that the senior leaders wanted to initiate measures based on the High Court orders, especially if any orders are issued for a probe by a State or Central agency.

With the bye-elections and local body polls fast approaching in the State, the high command is of the view that taking any step in Siddaramaiah’s case at this juncture could be counterproductive. However, while Siddaramaiah arrived back in Bengaluru the same day, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara staying back in New Delhi and meeting Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal on Saturday, triggered speculations about any possible changes in Karnataka. There are reports that Shiva Kumar also stayed back on Saturday. However, Parameshwara told the media that there was nothing unusual about his meeting with the AICC leaders. It was a regular meeting, he maintained.