Bengaluru, Oct 1 (IANS): Karnataka BJP on Tuesday dubbed the move of surrendering 14 sites to Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathy as a political stunt to gain sympathy for him.
Addressing a press conference at the party office here, State BJP President B. Y. Vijayendra claimed that "CM Siddaramaiah may resign at any moment".
"State Social Welfare Minister H.C. Mahadevappa, a close associate of the Chief Minister, said that some in the Congress party were waiting for Siddaramaiah to step down as Chief Minister. Before that, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge remarked that Siddaramaiah may be here today but gone tomorrow. This was seen as a precursor to his exit," Vijayendra claimed.
"Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar met state Home Minister G. Parameshwara and discussed that it would be better for the party if CM Siddaramaiah resigned soon," Vijayendra claimed.
"Returning sites to MUDA is a political stunt to escape from the clutches of law and to get sympathy for CM Siddaramaiah. With his wife's act, CM Siddaramaiah has officially accepted the illegalities," the BJP leader claimed.
"In 2011, allegations were made against then Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa. At the time, Siddaramaiah questioned that if Yediyurappa had not committed any wrongdoing, why did he surrender the land?" Vijayendra pointed out, questioning Parvathy's move.
The BJP leader alleged that Siddaramaiah and his followers were using "tactics to intimidate" Snehamayi Krishna, a social activist from a poor family for filing a petition against the state CM.
Vijayendra urged the state Home Minister and the DGP to provide security to Snehamayi Krishna.
The Congress government led by Siddaramaiah, which came to power promising a corruption-free administration, had been involved in scams such as the Rs 187 crore Valmiki Tribal Welfare Board scam and the MUDA scam, he charged.
Parvathi was allotted 14 plots "illegally", and after Siddaramaiah became CM, over 5,000 valuable plots in MUDA worth thousands of crores were reportedly given to his close associates and real estate brokers, Vijayendra charged.
"CM Siddaramaiah has confessed to the occurrence of the Valmiki Tribal Welfare Board on the floor of the House. Earlier, CM Siddaramaiah had asked why he should give back the allotted sites, saying whether he would be compensated with Rs 62 crore," Vijayendra recalled.