MYSURU: “I will never let you down and indulge in any act that will betray the trust and faith of the Varuna constituency. I am spotlessly clean and will come out clean now too,” said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, here on Tuesday, referring to the MUDA site allotment case.
He was flagging off development work worth Rs 501 crore at the Varuna constituency, and turned the event into a platform to hit out at opposition BJP-JDS.
Clarifying that he will not quit his post, and will continue to fight BJP-JDS, the CM said he still enjoys the support of the people. Siddaramaiah asserted that he has not done anything unlawful or unethical. He alleged that it is a well-planned political strategy of the opposition to dent his image and his moral standing, which will be futile.
He devoted much of the time telling people of the Varuna constituency, who have elected him thrice that made him chief minister twice, that he will not compromise on his commitment to serve the needy. “I have been in politics for 42 years. Have I taken a bribe from you? Will you tolerate charges levelled against me by the opposition,” he asked the crowd.
He said everyone is talking about the MUDA scam, but it is only a case of his brother-in-law gifting land to his wife. Though MUDA is expected to allot sites for the land acquired, his family decided to return the sites as the opposition blew the issue out of proportion, he added. “I don’t have a house. I live in a rented house of my friend Mariswamy.
I am now constructing a house. I need your blessing as Yediyurappa, Kumaraswamy and Vijayendra are against me,” he said. He recalled that PM Modi, BJP and JDS had said the guarantee schemes would be stopped after the Lok Sabha elections.
“But the guarantee schemes have continued even after the elections,” he pointed out. He alleged that Kumaraswamy and BJP looted the state when they were in power. They are jealous that a backward classes leader has become a CM for the second time and has been carrying out development and welfare programmes, he charged.
He said the Centre is discriminating against Karnataka in extending financial support, though the state is crediting highest GST to the Centre. The Centre has meted out injustice to the state in the 15th Finance Commission while favouring Northern states, he added. Asked if resigned BJP MLC CP Yogeshwara will join Congress, he said the party welcomes anyone who believes in its ideology and programmes.
He said the atmosphere is in favour of Congress in the three Assembly constituencies, where bypolls are being held. Siddaramaiah, DyCM DK Shivakumar and AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala held talks in Mysuru to finalise candidates for the bypolls. Shivakumar said the names will be finalised after consent from AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge.