BJP's Shehzad Poonawalla Calls for Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah's Resignation Over MUDA Land Scam

New Delhi [India], October 1: After Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife offered to surrender the 14 plots that were allotted to her by the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA), Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said on Tuesday that there is no point in giving a letter of return now and the Karnataka CM should give a letter of resignation.

Poonawalla stated, "There is no point in giving a letter of return now, Siddaramaiah should give a letter of resignation. Corruption is being investigated, the Lokayukta team has arrived and now the redemption letter is coming. This is an acceptance of guilt that yes, corruption has taken place. You behaved like a professional 'lootera'...Now, no redemption, no return, only resignation."

On Monday, after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) booked the Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah for money laundering in a case linked to the alleged MUDA land allotment scam, his wife wrote to the MUDA Commissioner and offered to surrender the 14 plots that were allotted to her by the authority.

Earlier today, CM Siddaramaiah hardened his position on the allegations related to the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land scam. He once again reiterated that he would not resign, identifying himself as a self-witness in the matter. Siddaramaiah also distinguished his situation from that of BS Yeddyurappa, stating that the former Chief Minister's case involved land denotification, while he was not involved in such matters. He further expressed his intent to address the situation legally, regardless of investigations by the Enforcement Directorate or other entities.

"BS Yeddyurappa's case and mine are different cases. He did denotification of land and I am not involved in it. I will not give my resignation as a self-witness. Whether ED or anything else, I will fight it out legally," he said. He stated that the land in question was gifted to his wife by her brother and that MUDA had encroached upon it. He explained that his wife requested an alternative site but did not specify Vijayanagara, yet it was allocated to her.

The Mysuru Lokayukta officially started the inquiry and investigation into the case linked to the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land allotment scam today, following a September 27 court order to file a FIR, directing them to conduct an investigation against Siddaramaiah on the allegation of illegalities in the allotment of 14 sites worth Rs 56 crore to his wife Parvathi by the MUDA.