Has Siddaramaiah shot himself in the foot?

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife, BM Parvathi, wrote to Mysuru Urban Development Authority (Muda) to return 14 plots of land that had sparked a huge controversy. However, the letter to Muda might be counterproductive as it is being showcased by the BJP as an "admission of guilt" in the land scam.

In Short

• Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and his wife BM Parvathi facing ED probe over plots
• Parvathi told Mysuru urban development body that she would return the 14 plots
• The decision to return the plots is being projected by BJP as 'admission of guilt'

This was a case of the exchange offer not suiting the beneficiaries. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife, BM Parvathi, said she would return the 14 plots she received in exchange for her undeveloped land. However, the return policy, seen as Siddaramaiah flipping, might actually be counterproductive.

BM Parvathi expressed her decision on Monday in a letter to Mysuru Urban Development Authority (Muda). This came after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) initiated a probe against her, Siddaramaiah, and her brother, Mallikarjuna Swamy, in what has now become popular as the Muda scam.

The Muda case pertains to allegations that compensatory sites were allotted to BM Parvathi in an upmarket area in Mysuru that had higher property value as compared to the location of her land that had been "acquired" by the authority.

Siddaramaiah, BM Parvathi, Mallikarjuna Swamy, and one Devaraju were named in an FIR registered by the Mysuru-based Lokayukta police on September 27. Devaraju was the person who sold land to Swamy, which was later gifted to Parvathi.

The ED on Monday filed a case against Siddaramaiah and others, taking cognisance of the Lokayukta FIR.

Referring to the Muda controversy, Parvathi declared that no material possession could outweigh her husband's honour, and she was returning the plots in a move to resolve the matter.

However, it might not work the way Siddaramaiah and Parvathi anticipated.

The BJP said the return policy was an "admission of guilt".

"In an admission of guilt, Parvathi, the wife of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has returned 14 plots of land to Muda. This comes after an FIR was registered with the Lokayukta and Enforcement Directorate, alleging improper land allocations," said BJP leader Amit Malviya.

He went on to list criminal conspiracy, public servant misconduct, misappropriation, cheating, and forgery as charges in the FIR.

On Tuesday, Siddaramaiah said his wife was a "victim of politics of hate against him" and her "surprise move" of returning the plots was to save him from embarrassment.

If there was no guilt, then why return the plots, asked people, showing that Parvathi's "sacrifice" might have been counterproductive.

"[If] Everything is above board and there is not wrong doing. Why this big sacrifice then? 14 plots just given back," asked a Bengaluru-based person on X.

"Is Siddaramaiah admitting to the scam," asked another person on X.

Karnataka BJP chief B Y Vijayendra also tried to showcase the decision to return the plots as "official acceptance of wrongdoing" in the MUDA case, and demanded Siddaramaiah's resignation as the chief minister.

Vijayendra said the return was also to "escape from legal hurdles".

That Parvathi's letter had given a new plot to the BJP to attack the embattled Siddaramaiah was also revealed by BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala.

Instead of Siddaramaiah penning a resignation letter, "they have written a redemption letter", he said.

"Why are you returning anything if there is no corruption," questioned Poonawala, adding, "This is an admission of guilt."

With noise around the Muda scam growing, the return of the plots could be counterproductive as it might sow doubts in the minds of people and be used by political rivals as an admission of guilt by Siddaramaiah and Parvathi.