‘Siddaramaiah must resign’ echoes as Special Court orders probe in MUDA scam; BJP, JD(S) to stage protest

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday, September 25, stepped up its demand for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's resignation after a special court in Bengaluru ordered a Lokayukta police probe against the Karnataka chief minister in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment case or MUDA scam.

Addressing a presser following the special court order, Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra said Siddaramaiah should handover the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and tender his resignation over the MUDA scam. BY Vijayendra said the Opposition – BJP and JD(S) – will stage a protest on Thursday, September 26, demanding Siddaramaiah's resignation.

He said, “I welcome the order of the special court. At the same time, since the investigation is against the powerful CM Siddaramaiah, I demand the CM to hand over the investigation to CBI and tender his resignation immediately. Tomorrow, BJP & JD(S) will hold a protest.”

“An investigation by Mysuru Lokayukta is impossible. I demand that the Chief Minister should resign and a CBI probe should be held. We will hold a protest in Vidhana Soudha premises tomorrow,” the state BJP president said.

Reacting to the resignation demands by the Opposition parties, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said, “Why is the BJP not demanding the resignation of their leaders against whom chargesheets have been filed.”

On Wednesday, the BJP and JD(S) on Wednesday tried to lay siege to Siddaramaiah's residence. Holding posters, placards and raising slogans, members of BJP Yuva Morcha marched towards "Cauvery" but the police thwarted their attempt, took them into preventive custody and whisked them away in a bus.

Leaders and workers of the JD(S), an NDA partner, headed by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, staged a demonstration at the Freedom Park before proceeding to "Cauvery" but were stopped by police.

On Tuesday, the High Court upheld the sanction granted by the Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to conduct an investigation against Siddaramaiah on the allegations of illegalities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife BM Parvathi by MUDA.