MYSURU: Even as the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) sites scam has hit headlines, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s extended family members are upset and accuse a larger conspiracy by BJP and JDS to unseat Siddaramaiah.
Raghu, son of Siddaramaiah’s brother Rame Gowda, on Tuesday said the decision of his aunt (Doddamma) Parvathi BM Siddaramaiah’s wife, to return 14 sites to the Mysore Urban Development Authority was right.
She wrote a letter to the MUDA commissioner on Monday, asking the Authority to take back the site even as the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), earlier in the day, registered an FIR against Siddaramaiah, her and others over in the MUDA site allotment issue.
The Lokayukta too has taken up the investigation into alleged irregularities in the allotment of sites in upmarket Vijayanagar area by MUDA to Parvathi, in lieu of her three acres and 16 guntas of land acquired by the Authority.
Raghu said Siddaramaiah has not entertained any family member on any request since he entered politics in 1983. “We have not gone asking for anything. If we had done that, we could have led a life of luxury. I did not have to buy a motorbike on loan,” he added.
He said his aunt is upset over the developments in the MUDA issue and that was the reason she surrendered the sites. “She does not interfere in anything,” he added.
‘Plot hatched by a few upset with guarantees’
Raghu alleged that a few politicians who are upset with the implementation of the guarantee schemes for the poor have hatched a plot to corner Siddaramaiah.
Siddaramu, who is Chief Minister’s cousin, said Siddramaiah has had a clean public life for the last four decades and someone hatched the plot to besmirch the CM’s reputation. He said, “Pravathamma has not made any mistake, but they have projected her as a culprit and it has pained the family.”
Recalling that the 14 sites were allotted when the BJP government was in power, he said family members spoke to Parvathi many times.
“We are confident that doddamma and doddappa will come out clean in the MUDA scam,” he added.
Women in Siddaramana Hundi, from where Siddaramaiah hails, are also upset with the entire episode. The villagers recently visited the Male Mahadeshwara Hill temple and offered puja to ward off any evil aimed at Siddaramaiah.