Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah challenges BJP to unseat him

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah issued a challenge to the BJP, daring them to try and remove him from his position. Speaking in Mysuru, Siddaramaiah accused the BJP of attempting to destabilise his government, warning that the people of Karnataka “will not keep quiet” if the Opposition party persists with its tactics.

Siddaramaiah also drew comparisons to the recent actions against other chief ministers and Opposition leaders, and said: “They tried filing false cases against Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, then Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, and now they’re targeting me.”
Siddaramaiah’s remarks followed a recent move by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to summon individuals in connection with the ongoing investigation into the irregularities in the site allotment by Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA).

Siddaramaiah dismissed the ED’s ongoing investigation into the alleged MUDA scam as a probe into “false allegations.”

Siddaramaiah earlier alleged that the opposition BJP offered Rs 50 crore each to the 50 Congress MLAs to remove his government.

The Chief Minister made the comment on Thursday, as his close aide and former MUDA chairman K Marigowda appeared before ED officials for questioning. Former Tehsildar Mallige Shankar and one of Marigowda’s associates were also called in for interrogation.

This comes only a few days after the Karnataka Chief Minister appeared before the Lokayukta police in connection with the alleged land grab scam.
Meanwhile, a Division Bench of the Karnataka High Court announced on Thursday it will hear his appeal on November 23 regarding a Governor-granted sanction to prosecute him in connection with the MUDA scam. This appeal challenges a September ruling by a single judge of the High Court, who had dismissed Siddaramaiah’s plea against the prosecution approval provided by Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot.