Bengaluru, India – The opposition BJP and its ally JD(S) in Karnataka have launched a seven-day ‘Mysuru Chalo’ march from Bengaluru, demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over allegations of his involvement in the illegal site allotment scam in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA). The march, which commenced on Saturday, is set to culminate in a mega public meeting in Mysuru on August 10.
BJP state president B Y Vijayendra and JD(S) Youth Wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy inaugurated the march by blowing a bugle amidst drum beats, marking the beginning of the protest. BJP veteran B S Yediyurappa accused the Chief Minister of corruption and urged him to resign. “It’s better for Siddaramaiah to resign on his own and step down gracefully,” Yediyurappa stated, addressing the assembled workers and leaders of both the BJP and the JD(S).
During the event, opposition leader in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka criticized the Congress, asserting that they have no moral right to question Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot for issuing a notice to the Chief Minister. “You (Siddaramaiah) have started trembling after a notice was given. One can only imagine what will happen when the permission is given by him (Governor) to prosecute the chief minister,” Ashoka remarked.
Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries H D Kumaraswamy highlighted the Congress’s alleged anti-Dalit stance, citing the MUDA and Valmiki Corporation scam as evidence. Kumaraswamy predicted the fall of the current government in the next few months.
Reacting to the agitation, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accused the BJP of being the “grandfather” of corruption. “If there is any grandfather of corruption, it’s the BJP. Whom do we call ’40 per cent corruption’? It’s BJP only,” he told reporters in Hassan, referencing allegations made by the Karnataka Contractors’ Association president D Kempanna about the previous BJP government.
The MUDA scam involves allegations of acquiring alternative land in prime areas against existing land in remote parts of the city. The opposition parties claim the scam is worth ₹3,000 crore, implicating Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi as a beneficiary. Siddaramaiah has denied these charges, explaining that the MUDA had illegally formed a layout on his wife’s land without acquiring it, and she was entitled to compensation.
Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot issued a notice on July 26, directing Siddaramaiah to respond to the allegations within seven days. The Karnataka government has advised the Governor to withdraw the notice, alleging it is part of a concerted effort to destabilize the Congress administration.
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