No reconciliation possible between warring Cong groups: K’taka BJP chief

Hubballi (Karnataka), Jan 15 Karnataka BJP president and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra claimed on Wednesday that no reconciliation was possible between warring groups of the ruling Congress party in the state.

“Siddaramaiah’s resignation as Chief Minister is imminent,” Vijayendra underlined.

Speaking to the media in Hubballi, Vijayendra, while responding to questions about reports of internal conflict within the Congress, stated that no matter what efforts were made, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would have to step down from his position.

Vijayendra also alleged that plots reserved for the poor were illegally acquired by the family of CM Siddaramaiah. “Even though the plots have been returned, the wrongdoing remains and it doesn’t mean the action will give him a clean chit in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority scam (MUDA),” Vijayendra said.

Vijayendra also accused the government of filing false cases against petitioner Snehamayi Krishna and called it part of a larger conspiracy.

He praised Snehamayi Krishna for not giving up the legal battle and assured that there is hope that the High Court would hand over the case to the CBI for investigation.

Vijayendra alleged that the scam involved not just 14 plots but amounts to over Rs 5,000 crore and accused CM Siddaramaiah and the Karnataka government of selling thousands of plots to real estate agents since coming to power.

He stated that the BJP had been persistently fighting to take the MUDA case to its logical conclusion, including organising a foot march from Bengaluru to Mysuru.

He said that CM Siddaramaiah initially denied any wrongdoing but later his wife returned the plots to MUDA without demanding compensation, as a result of mounting pressure and the BJP's efforts.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court’s Dharwad Bench on Wednesday adjourned the hearing in the plea seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the MUDA case, to January 27.

The Bench headed by Justice M. Nagaprasanna further directed the Lokayukta Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) to submit the investigation report one day prior to the date of the next hearing in the case to the court.