The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the resignation of Marigowda, believed to be a Siddaramaiah confidante, showed that the CM was embroiled in what it described as the "MUDA scam"
K Marigowda, the chairperson of the controversy-hit Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), resigned on Wednesday, amid a row over irregularities in the allotment of sites to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi BM. He submitted his resignation to the Urban Development Department Secretary.
Marigowda said that he had health issues and that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had asked him to quit. According to reports, he was hospitalised last month due to exhaustion-related distress.
“I have resigned following directions from the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Also, as I had health issues, I have resigned….there was no pressure on me, as I had health issues I have resigned,” Marigowda said.
Responding to a question, he said, “The investigation is on, and it will continue….it will be known from the probe whether there were any irregularities.”
BJP Attacks Siddaramaiah
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the resignation of Marigowda, believed to be a Siddaramaiah confidante, showed that the CM was embroiled in what it described as the “MUDA scam”. The BJP further demanded that Siddaramaiah should resign from his post.
Earlier, Siddaramaiah’s wife returned the 14 compensatory sites that were given to her in the Mysuru upmarket area. Subsequently, MUDA said it would accept the plots back.
Hitting out at the Karnataka Chief Minister, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra questioned, “Siddaramaiah’s offer to return the allotted land and his acceptance on the floor of the House that the money was diverted, does this not reek of an acceptance of guilt?”“I call upon Siddaramaiah that if he has the slightest of morality left, then he should immediately step down. You should not wait for today’s sunset… The curtain should be drawn on the regime of Karnataka even before today’s sunset,” he added.
The Chief Minister faces allegations that compensatory sites were allotted to his wife BM 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.
Setback To Siddaramaiah
In the last week of September, the Karnataka High Court dismissed Siddaramaiah’s plea challenging Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s sanction to prosecute him in the alleged scam. A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against him by the Karnataka Lokayukta police in connection with the case, on the directions of a special court.
Siddaramaiah has since maintained that he is not afraid of what he calls a “political conspiracy”. He has denied all charges, rejected calls for his resignation, and accused his political rivals of dragging his family into the controversy.
