MUDA case: I am not guilty, won't resign: CM Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru, Sep 26
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Thursday that he was not guilty and will not resign from his post.

He said this while reacting to the BJP and JD(S) demand that he should step down in view of the Special Court's order in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam case.

Speaking to reporters at Vidhana Soudha, CM Siddaramaiah stated, “I have not committed any mistake and there is no necessity as such that I should resign. Many BJP leaders are on bail, won’t it embarrass them? Has any of them tendered their resignations?" CM Siddaramaiah said.

Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, reacting to the media on Thursday, stated, “I am conveying it to the media as the President of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah won’t resign.”

“He will not tender his resignation. The proposal of CM Siddaramaiah stepping down won’t arise. This is a conspiracy by the BJP and JD(S). They are not able to tolerate the success of the guarantee schemes,” Shivakumar said.

The statements have assumed importance as the BJP has intensified its agitation in the state demanding the resignation of CM Siddaramaiah. The party also staged a protest at the Mahatma Gandhi statue on the premises of the Vidhana Soudha. The BJP leaders and workers were detained when they tried to lay siege to the Vidhana Soudha.

Meanwhile, CM Siddaramaiah chaired a meeting with Home Minister G. Parameshwara, Law Minister H.K. Patil, CM’s Legal Advisor, Congress MLA A.S. Ponnanna and legal experts over the future course of action as the Special Court had given direction to the lodging of FIR and investigation on him in the MUDA case.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is also chairing the cabinet meeting at the Vidhana Soudha and sources said that he will seek the support of the council of ministers and make an announcement in this regard. The cabinet meeting is also expected to explore the option of approaching the President against the alleged biased action of Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot against CM Siddaramaiah.

A special court in Karnataka on Wednesday directed the Lokayukta to conduct an investigation against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over alleged irregularities in the MUDA scam. The court asked the Lokayukta to submit a report in three months and directed the competent authorities to file an FIR.