Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has taken a firm stand in the ongoing controversy surrounding the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land allotment scam, vehemently rejecting any notion of resignation. The alleged scam, which has now drawn the attention of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Lokayukta, revolves around 14 plots in Mysuru’s Vijayanagar area that were allotted to his wife, Parvathi Siddaramaiah, as compensation for family land used by MUDA.
Siddaramaiah has differentiated his situation from that of former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, whose case involved land denotification, maintaining that his case does not involve any such actions. He also emphasized that his wife’s actions were meant to avoid any controversy, stating that she never sought the plots in Vijayanagar specifically, and the current situation has been inflated into a political drama by opposition parties. Siddaramaiah affirmed his commitment to fighting the accusations legally, calling them politically motivated.
The controversy heated up after the ED initiated a money laundering probe, registering an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against Siddaramaiah under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This move followed allegations of irregularities in the allotment of the 14 land sites, valued at Rs 56 crore, to his wife Parvathi. As the case escalated, Parvathi decided to return the plots to MUDA, a move that she explained was motivated by her desire to protect her husband’s political integrity and avoid further public scrutiny.
Parvathi Siddaramaiah’s decision came as a surprise to many, including her own family. She has maintained that the land was compensation for the family’s 3.16-acre property in Kesare, Mysuru, which was used by MUDA without proper acquisition. Despite the legal rights to the land, she voluntarily surrendered the 14 sites, stating that no personal material gain could outweigh her husband’s honor and integrity. In her letter to MUDA, Parvathi expressed her distress over the political fallout, stressing that the situation had become more about preserving her husband’s reputation than about the land itself.
On social media, Siddaramaiah expressed both surprise and support for his wife’s decision, condemning the political vendetta against his family. He has reiterated that the opposition is fabricating lies to defame him and drag his family into the controversy for political gain. The Karnataka CM asserted that he had no role in the allotment of the sites, and his wife’s decision was made independently.
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The situation has triggered a wave of political reactions, with the Karnataka BJP labeling Parvathi’s decision as a political stunt aimed at garnering public sympathy for Siddaramaiah. They argue that the timing of the surrender points to an admission of guilt, even as Siddaramaiah and his supporters continue to deny any wrongdoing. Meanwhile, Karnataka Law Minister HK Patil criticized the ED’s involvement, stating that their pursuit of the case would ultimately be a blunder, further intensifying the political clashes in the state.
As investigations by both the ED and Lokayukta continue, the future of the case remains uncertain, but Siddaramaiah’s firm stance and Parvathi’s unexpected surrender of the plots have added further layers of complexity to an already heated political situation.