I will not succumb to BJP-JD(S) conspiracy: Siddaramaiah

Mr. Siddaramaiah said the compensatory sites allotted to his wife Parvathi in lieu of the land that was taken by MUDA were returned because his political rivals had made an “issue” out of “non-issue”

Rejecting the “false charges” levelled against him in the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said he will not succumb to the “conspiracies” hatched by the BJP-JD(S) combine as long as he enjoys people’s support.

Addressing the gathering after launching a series of developmental programmes worth ₹501.81 crore for his home constituency of Varuna in Mysuru, Mr. Siddaramaiah said his life was an “open book”. Clarifying to the gathering that he had not taken a single rupee as bribe during his entire political career, Mr. Siddaramaiah accused his political rivals of creating a hype over the MUDA issue.

He said the compensatory sites allotted to his wife Parvathi in lieu of the land that was taken by MUDA were returned because his political rivals had made an “issue” out of “non-issue”.

Though he was the Chief Minister of the State, Mr. Siddaramaiah said he did not have his own house in Mysuru. “I don’t have my own house in Mysuru since the last 40 years,” he said, while clarifying that he was presently in a house rented from one Mr. Mariswamy.

“Tell me if a Chief Minister should stay in a rented house?,” he said while pointing out that he was now building his own house in Mysuru, but had not been able to complete it even though the construction started three years ago.

He blame his political rivals like Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy, BJP leader B.S. Yediyurappa, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R. Ashok, BJP’s State president B.Y. Vijayendra and Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution Prahlad Joshi of “jealousy”. Making it clear that his popularity among the people will not be affected by the “false propaganda” spread by BJP-JD(S) combine, Mr. Siddaramaiah said he was confident that truth will triumph while expressing his faith in law and courts.

Accusing the BJP government of being “anti-poor and anti-social justice”, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the Centre was betraying the people of Karnataka by not giving the State its due share of Central taxes.

Though the Congress leaders made a visit to the national capital and protested against the Centre for denying Karnataka its due share of Central taxes, the BJP and JD(S) leaders had not shown the courage to question the discrimination, he said.

Published - October 22, 2024 07:43 pm IST