BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is likely to brief the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) on the latest developments related to the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case, when it meets on Thursday, and the CLP is likely to pass a resolution fully backing him.
Earlier, the cabinet had backed Siddaramaiah by condemning Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s sanction to prosecute the Chief Minister in the MUDA site allotment case.
“As there is no material evidence against the CM, we insist on him to continue in the post, even if the people’s representative court directs an investigation and an FIR is filed,” a party MLA told The New Indian Express.
For Congress legislators, the Lokayukta seeking the prosecution of Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries HD Kumaraswamy in an illegal mining case has come in handy to defend Siddaramaiah.
At the Congress Legislature Party meeting, “the strategy to counter the opposition BJP-JDS, which has been demanding the Chief Minister’s resignation, will also be discussed. Their conspiracy to destabilise the Congress government will be quelled,” another MLA said.
All the 136 Congress MLAs and MLCs are likely to back Siddaramaiah following the high command’s dictat, sources said.
The CLP is likely to discuss the repercussions of the High Court hearing on August 29, on a petition filed by the chief minister, questioning the governor’s decision to sanction prosecution against him in the MUDA case.
Those who called on AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge recently and wished him to take up leadership if something goes wrong are also likely to toe the high command’s line, a Congress leader said.
Before the CLP, the Chief Minister will chair the cabinet meeting. “Thirty-four subjects from different departments are coming up. As we already backed the CM in the previous cabinet meeting, it is not necessary to discuss the MUDA case again”, a minister told The New Indian Express.
Some ministers in the Siddaramaiah cabinet are planning to convey a message to the party high command that Siddaramaiah should not be removed as CM even if an FIR is filed, sources said. Ministers MB Patil, Satish Jarkiholi, Krishna Byregowda, KN Rajanna, Santhosh Lad among others are ready to defend Siddaramaiah before the high command level, they added. “Our senior leader Abhishek Manu Singvi himself is representing Siddaramaiah in the high court and this makes it clear that the high command is with Siddaramaiah come what may,” Lad said.