The Karnataka Congress has changed the intention of the grand rally to be held in Hassan district on December 5. The event, which was originally meant to show support for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, will now be held under the name of the Congress, reports said. The event named 'Siddaramaiah Swabhimani Janandolana Samavesha' has now been renamed as 'Jana Kalyana Samavesha', according to reports.
While speaking to reporters, Deputy Prime Minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar said, “This is a Congress program under my leadership and the KPCC. We want to communicate the development we have achieved and the lies spread by the BJP and JD(S), which have not worked. It is the mandate of the people that counts.”
He added, “Congress is a big party with a big history. If I want to participate as president of the party, it must be done under our flag. If the Prime Minister has to participate, it should be under the banner of the Congress. I made it very clear and they agreed. It continues under our leadership. I'm chairing the meeting.”
When asked if Siddaramaiah loyalists were upset with the decision, Shivakumar said, “That is not true. They are doing their job. Nobody is a supporter of DK Shivakumar or a supporter of Siddaramaiah. Everyone is a supporter of Congress. “
The event was initially aimed at mobilizing support for Siddaramaiah amid an investigation into the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam related to site allotment.
MUDA scam case update
On December 3, the ED said evidence of several irregularities had been discovered in the transfer of 14 sites by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) to BM Parvathi, wife of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The federal agency, in a recent communication to the Karnataka Lokayukta department, also claimed that its investigation also revealed that MUDA had “illegally” allotted a total of 1,095 locations for benami and other similar transactions.
Meanwhile, the ED is conducting a money laundering probe against Siddaramaiah, Parvathi, the CM Mallikarjuna Swamy's brother-in-law, Devaraju – from whom Mallikarjuna Swamy bought the land under investigation and gifted it to Parvathi – and some others after coming to know of it . of a Karnataka Lokayukta police FIR lodged against them.
The CM, who has been questioned by the Lokayukta in the matter, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing by him or his family, saying these were politically motivated charges against him as the opposition was “afraid” of him.
