Advani accused of taking money from Yeddyurappa

Bangalore, Apr 22: BJP leader L.K. Advani had taken money from erstwhile Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa to allow him to remain in office after corruption scandals involving him surfaced, Yeddyurappa's Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) alleged Monday. The BJP rubbished the allegations.

"I have documents and will release them at the appropriate time," V. Dhananjaya Kumar, a former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and junior central minister in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at New Delhi, told reporters here.

Dhananjaya Kumar, the KJP's spokesman, made the claim a day after Advani indirectly attacked Yeddyurappa for tarnishing BJP's image by indulging in corruption.

Advani was here to launch BJP's campaign for the May 5 assembly poll.

"Advani has no moral right to criticize Yeddyurappa as he had used his children to threaten Yeddyurappa and extract money to allow him to remain in office," Dhananjaya Kumar alleged.

He said several central BJP leaders were known to take money from party chief ministers.

BJP president Rajnath Singh and state BJP leaders lashed out at Dhananjaya Kumar for making "baseless" allegation.

Rajnath Singh, who was in Bellary in north Karnataka for election campaign, told reporters that the claims were not worth taking note of.

State BJP chief Pralhad Joshi told reporters in Shimoga, about 280 km from here: "Let him release the documents instead of simply leveling allegations and we want Yeddyurappa to respond."

Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar dismissed the charges as "baseless" while his predecessor D.V. Sadananda Gowda said "if he proves the allegations, we will shut down BJP in Karnataka".

Yeddyurappa, BJP's first chief minister in Karnataka, was forced to quit in July 2011 over mining bribery charges. He left BJP late last year and is heading Karnataka Janata Party.

Ever since he quit the chief minister's post, Yeddyurappa has been saying that he was "a victim of conspiracy by state and central BJP leaders".

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‘Have letter, next step is...’: MUDA on Siddaramaiah’s wife’s offer to return plots

News Network

October 1,2024

Mysuru: The Mysuru land authority at the centre of a financial and political storm - involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and alleged losses of ₹ 45 crore to the state - has received an offer of restitution from his wife, the urban development body's Commissioner, AN Raghunandan said.

"I am in possession of a letter written by Siddaramaiah's wife regarding her intention to return 14 plots (of land). The Chief Minister's son, Yatindra Siddaramaiah, came to our office and delivered the letter. We will take legal advice for the next step..." he told reporters in Mysuru.

Mr Raghunandan also confirmed anti-corruption officials from the city's Lokayukta branch had written seeking cooperation in its inquiry into the charges against the Chief Minister.

He said the Mysuru Urban Development Authority, or MUDA, "will cooperate with the investigation".

The Enforcement Directorate, however, have not reached out as yet, Mr Raghunandan said. The ED, a federal agency, has filed a money laundering case against Siddaramaiah.

There have also been calls for the CBI, another federal agency, to investigate charges against the Chief Minister, but that appears unlikely now given the Karnataka government has withdrawn general consent for its operations in the state. Law Minister HK Patil made the announcement last week.

He ruled out any link with demands for the Chief Minister to be investigated by the CBI, which reports to the BJP-led central government and the ruling Congress and other opposition parties have claimed is being used by that party to target rival leaders, particularly before elections.

On Monday - three days after the Lokayukta filed a case against the Chief Minister, and hours after the ED launched its probe- Siddaramaiah's wife said she had planned to give up the land earlier but was advised against it the allegations against her husband are "politically motivated".

But now, she said, she had made up her mind as "no house, plot, or wealth is more important than my husband's honor, dignity, and peace of mind". She also said the decision was hers alone; "... I am not aware of my husband's opinion on this matter, nor do I concern myself with what my son thinks".

And, in a comment seen as a calculated swipe at the opposition BJP, which is leading calls for the Chief Minister's resignation, his wife also made an emotional appeal to "all political parties and the media" to "please not drag women of political families into the controversy to settle political scores".

Investigative action against the Chief Minister follows the Karnataka High Court quashing a challenge to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot's order sanctioning Siddaramaiah's prosecution.

Subsequently a trial court ordered framing of charges and directed the Lokayukta to complete the investigation within three months. The ED case was filed based on the Lokayukta FIR.

Siddaramaiah faces an inquiry into claims Parvathi was allotted 14 plots of land in an upmarket Mysuru area as compensation for land elsewhere - holding a far lower value - taken for infrastructure projects.

The Chief Minister has denied all charges and refused calls to resign.

He has been backed by the Congress and his deputy, DK Shivakumar, who is also the state unit boss, and also by members of his cabinet, including IT Minister Priyank Kharge. However, some within the Congress also want him to quit, such as former Assembly Speaker KB Koliwad.

"I will fight. I am not afraid of anything. We are ready to face the investigation. I will fight this legally," he said last week after the High Court had quashed his challenge to the Governor's sanction.

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