Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday initiated legal proceedings against Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s recent decision to authorize the prosecution of Siddaramaiah over alleged irregularities related to a site allotment by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), Live Law reported. Siddaramaiah moved to High Court today marking a significant escalation in the political dispute between the Congress-led state government and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Karnataka CM’s legal challenge highlights the growing tension between state and federal authorities, as well as the Congress party’s concerns about perceived political bias.
Congress to Hold Legislative Party Meeting
Siddaramaiah has scheduled a Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting for August 22 at the Vidhana Soudha conference hall in response to the ongoing controversy. Karnataka’s Minister for Information Technology and Biotechnology, Priyank Kharge, emphasized the importance of briefing party members on the unfolding situation. Kharge said that their 136 MLAs need to understand the current developments and their implications.
Additionally, Siddaramaiah plans to travel to New Delhi on Tuesday to update the Congress party’s central leadership on the matter. A party source, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed that the visit aims to ensure that national leaders are aware of the state’s political dynamics and to strategize the party’s response.
What is the MUDA case about?
The controversy revolves around allegations that Siddaramaiah’s wife, Parvathi, received improper allotments of compensatory sites in an upscale Mysuru neighborhood in 2021. Critics argue that the land given to Parvathi was valued significantly higher than the land MUDA had acquired from her. BJP leaders have alleged that the purported scam could involve sums between Rs 4,000 crore and Rs 5,000 crore, further fueling the dispute.
In reaction to the Governor’s decision, Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President DK Shivakumar has announced a series of state-wide protest rallies set for August 19. Shivakumar condemned the governor’s sanction as a politically motivated move by the BJP to undermine the Congress government. Shivakumar declared that they will hold peaceful protests to demonstrate their opposition. As legal and public responses unfold, the coming days are likely to see further developments in this high-stakes political drama.