MUDA Case: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Calls Urgent CLP Meeting After Gov. Approval for Prosecution

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has convened a Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting on August 22 in the wake of Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot granting permission to prosecute him in the alleged site allotment scam involving the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA). The meeting aims to discuss both legal and political strategies.

According to a statement issued by the chief minister’s office, the meeting will be held in the Vidhana Souda conference hall. Karnataka Minister for Information Technology and Biotechnology, Priyank Kharge, emphasized the need to apprise the public about the governor’s role, stating, “Ultimately, they are public representatives; 136 MLAs need to know what is happening.”

The MUDA ‘scam’ centers around compensatory sites allegedly allotted to Siddaramaiah’s wife, Parvathi, in an upmarket area in Mysuru. These sites had a higher property value compared to the location of her land, which had been “acquired” by MUDA, according to the Indian Express.

Under the controversial scheme, MUDA allotted 50% of developed land in lieu of undeveloped land acquired from several persons for creating residential layouts. BJP leaders claim that the MUDA ‘scam’ amounts to a magnitude of Rs 4,000 crore to Rs 5,000 crore.

On July 14, the Congress government constituted a single-member inquiry commission under former High Court Judge Justice PN Desai to probe the MUDA ‘scam.’ The chief minister has denied any wrongdoing in the alleged scam and remains steadfast, stating, “Won’t quit,” and terming the Governor’s decision as “illegal and unconstitutional.”