Congress Defends Siddaramaiah Against BJP, JD(S) Destabilisation Efforts

The Congress party has pledged to stand united against the BJP and JDS's efforts to destabilise the Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka. This support comes amid allegations of corruption involving the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) and the state-run Valmiki Corporation. "Everybody knows about Siddaramaiah’s honesty. He is not a new chief minister here. Everybody knows about his career, where he started, where he is now, also his ideology and his background," stated Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal.

Allegations and Political Reactions

The opposition BJP and JDS initiated a week-long Mysuru Chalo foot march on Saturday, protesting against the alleged fraudulent allotment of MUDA sites, including one to Siddaramaiah’s wife, Parvathi. They are demanding the chief minister's resignation. The Karnataka government has strongly advised Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to withdraw the show-cause notice issued to Siddaramaiah on July 26, based on a plea by advocate-activist T J Abraham.

Venugopal accused the BJP and JDS of conspiring against the Congress government due to its guarantee schemes aimed at helping the poor. He claimed these schemes threaten the political standing of the opposition parties. "Unfortunately, the governor has become a tool in the BJP’s conspiracy," Venugopal added.

Congress Strategy and Internal Discussions

During a meeting with state ministers, Venugopal and Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala urged ministers to visit districts and assembly constituencies to explain how the BJP is trying to destabilise the government. They emphasised continuing with guarantee schemes for the poor. "We are very much concerned about the poor people of the state. We will continue with the guarantee schemes," Venugopal said.

The council of ministers met on Thursday, alleging that efforts were being made to destabilise a lawfully elected majority government for political gains. Venugopal asked why the Congress had not effectively countered the BJP and JDS narrative despite lacking clear evidence. He assured ministers of high command support if legal battles ensue over prosecution sanctions related to the MUDA scam.

Valmiki Corporation Scam

The opposition has also demanded Siddaramaiah’s resignation over another scandal involving Valmiki Corporation. The scam came to light after its accounts superintendent Chandrashekhar P ended his life on May 26, leaving a note that Rs 187 crore was transferred from the corporation's bank account, with Rs 88.62 crore moved illegally to various accounts.

Venugopal criticised BJP state president B Y Vijayendra and former JDS MP Prajwal Revanna for their corruption cases while attacking Siddaramaiah's integrity. "The BJP talking about corruption is the biggest joke," he said. He accused them of targeting Siddaramaiah to undermine his support for Karnataka's poor.

Future Plans and Confidence

Venugopal indicated that there might be a cabinet reshuffle in a few months but clarified that recent discussions were not about ministerial performance. He criticised Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for discriminating against Karnataka in the Union budget, despite being elected from there.

He expressed confidence in fighting any destabilising attempts legally and communicating these issues vigorously to Karnataka's people. "The Congress is very confident. We will fight it legally, and such destabilising attempts will be explained to the people of the state with great vigour," Venugopal concluded.

The Congress party remains committed to supporting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah amid ongoing political challenges and allegations, focusing on maintaining stability and continuing welfare schemes for Karnataka's citizens.