The week-long protest march by the combined opposition of BJP and JD(S), demanding the resignation of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment ‘scam’, culminated here on Saturday with a mega rally, where both parties vowed to continue their agitation until the CM steps down.
Leaders of both parties asserted that they will work together to bring BJP-JD(S) back to power in Karnataka, by uprooting the ‘corrupt’ Congress from power.
The Bengaluru-Mysuru padayatre (foot march) had sought to highlight the alleged fraudulent allotment of sites to land losers by MUDA, including to Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi, and to corner the Congress government led by him.
On the eighth and final day of the ‘Mysuru Chalo’ protest march today, leaders and workers of both parties led by BJP State President and MLA BY Vijayendra and JD(S) leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy, walked the last stretch from Ramaswamy circle here to reach Maharaja’s College Grounds, where a mega valedictory rally was organised.
Veteran BJP leader BS Yediyurappa, JD(S) leader and Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, BJP national General Secretary Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition in Assembly R Asoka, former CMs Basavaraj Bommai and Sadananda Gowda, several legislators, MPs, leaders and workers from both parties took part in the rally.
The ruling Congress on Friday had hosted a mega “Janandolana” convention in the same venue in support of Siddaramaiah, and to counter the opposition’s allegations and their foot march.
In the MUDA scam, it is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been acquired by the MUDA.
The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land, where MUDA developed a residential layout.
Under the controversial scheme, MUDA allotted 50 per cent of developed land to the land losers in lieu of undeveloped land acquired from them for forming residential layouts.
Opposition and some activists have also claimed that the Parvathi had no legal title over 3.16 acres of land.
The Congress government on July 14 constituted a single member inquiry commission under former High Court Judge Justice PN Desai to probe the MUDA scam.
Based on a petition filed by advocate-activist TJ Abraham, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot had issued showcause notice on July 26 directing the Chief Minister to submit his reply to the allegations against him within seven days as to why permission for prosecution should not be granted against him.
The Karnataka government on August 1 “strongly advised” the Governor to withdraw his “showcause notice” to the Chief Minister, and alleged “gross misuse of the Constitutional Office” of the Governor.
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