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The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday rejected Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s petition challenging the Governor’s approval for an investigation into alleged irregularities in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land allotment case. Despite this legal setback, Siddaramaiah has received strong backing from his cabinet colleagues, who have dismissed calls for his resignation, labeling the accusations as part of a political conspiracy by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The High Court, in a ruling by Justice Nagaprasanna, concluded that the Governor’s approval for prosecuting Siddaramaiah did not suffer from “non-application of mind.” This decision paves the way for an investigation into allegations that MUDA illegally allotted 14 prime plots in Mysuru to Siddaramaiah’s wife.
Siddaramaiah had challenged the Governor’s sanction, questioning its legality under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. The court, however, upheld the Governor’s decision, dismissing the Chief Minister’s objections.
In response to the court’s verdict, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and other senior Congress leaders firmly defended Siddaramaiah, insisting that there is no need for the Chief Minister to resign. Shivakumar characterized the allegations as a politically motivated conspiracy orchestrated by the BJP to destabilize the government.
“There is no question (of resignation) by CM. He has not done anything wrong. He is not involved with any scam. This is a political conspiracy by the BJP… We stand by him, we support him. He has been doing good work for the country, party, and state,” Shivakumar told reporters.
Shivakumar also reiterated that the Congress Party respects the legal system and would fight the case through the courts, expressing confidence that Siddaramaiah would ultimately be exonerated. “We respect the legal system of this country. Injustice will not flow from the seat of justice. We will get justice,” he added.
The Karnataka Congress, reacting to the judgment, accused Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot of acting with political bias in favor of the BJP. They alleged that the Governor had attempted to “cover-up” complaints against former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and other BJP leaders, while focusing on the Congress government.
“The fight against injustice will continue; there is no question of yielding to the Governor’s attempts to destabilize the government or the BJP’s conspiracy. It is well known that the Governor has tried to cover up complaints against Kumaraswamy and other BJP leaders,” the Congress stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The BJP, seizing the opportunity, has demanded Siddaramaiah’s immediate resignation, accusing him of corruption and asserting that he no longer holds the moral right to remain in office. Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra called for the Chief Minister to step down following the court’s ruling.
“BJP has been relentlessly fighting against the corrupt Congress government… The judge has observed that all are equal before the law. At this juncture, I demand CM Siddaramaiah ji to resign,” Vijayendra said.
BJP leader CT Ravi echoed this sentiment, asserting, “Law is the same for everyone… After the Karnataka High Court’s judgment, CM Siddaramaiah should resign. Every corrupt leader says that he will not resign. CM Siddaramaiah is a corrupt leader.”
Despite the mounting pressure from the BJP, senior Congress ministers, including Karnataka Minister Ramalinga Reddy, have categorically ruled out Siddaramaiah’s resignation. Reddy praised the Chief Minister’s integrity, describing him as a “clean hand” leader and accusing the BJP of hypocrisy for calling for his resignation while their own leaders face corruption charges.
“He is a ‘clean hand’ Chief Minister. We don’t find a Chief Minister like this. He is a 100% clean-handed man. BJP people are the most corrupt people in India. Now, the single judge bench has upheld the Governor’s permission,” Reddy told reporters.
Reddy also pointed out ongoing denotification cases involving former Karnataka Chief Ministers BS Yediyurappa and HD Kumaraswamy, demanding that they should resign first if Siddaramaiah is expected to step down.
The allegations against Siddaramaiah stem from a claim that MUDA illegally allocated 14 plots to his wife in prime locations within Mysuru. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot sanctioned the investigation based on complaints from Bengaluru-based activists Pradeep Kumar SP, TJ Abraham, and Mysuru-based activist Snehamayi Krishna.
The Karnataka High Court had earlier granted temporary relief to Siddaramaiah by directing a special court in Bengaluru to defer further proceedings. However, with the High Court now clearing the way for the investigation, the case is set to proceed.
While the BJP is likely to continue pressing for Siddaramaiah’s resignation, the Congress Party remains united in its support for the Chief Minister. As the legal battle unfolds, the ruling Congress government will face both political and judicial challenges in the months ahead.
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