Rebel Cong MLA Umesh Jadav resigns; not a setback, claims KPCC chief

News Network

March 4, 2019

Bengaluru, Mar 4: Rebel Congress MLA from Chincholi, Umesh Jadhav, early on Monday tendered his resignation to his Assembly membership, bringing down the party’s number to 79 in the Legislative Assembly.

Jadhav, who has decided to defect to the BJP, travelled all the way to Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar's residence in Srinivaspura taluk in Kolar district to tender his resignation. Jadhav’s resignation comes ahead of the launch of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Lok Sabha election campaign from Hyderabad Karnataka through his rally in Kalaburgi on March 6.

Jadhav will be facing off Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge in Kalaburgi in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. BJP was, in fact, scouting hard for a strong candidate to take on Kharge.

Jadhav is among the four legislators, whose disqualification the Congress had sought for anti-party activities and repeated violation of whips. The Congress had on February 11 had submitted a petition to the Speaker to disqualify Jadhav, along with Ramesh Jarkiholi (Gokak), B Nagendra (Bellary) and Mahesh Kumathalli (Athani) on February 11.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president Eshwar Khandre, who was tasked with bringing Jadhav back into the party fold, declined to comment on the reasons behind his resignation. "He has destroyed his political future.

Till the last minute, we tried to convince him," Khandre told reporters. "The Congress party's disqualification petition is before the Speaker. I'm confident the Speaker will make the right decision."

Asked if Jadhav's resignation was because he was upset with some Congress leaders, especially Mallikarjun Kharge, Khandre declined to answer.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundu Rao confirmed Jadhav's resignation. "He has sold himself. Whatever reasons he may cite are false. He can't say openly that he has taken money. We knew all along that he'll leave the party," Rao told reporters.

"Jadhav grew so much politically because of the Congress. The party gave him the ticket twice to become a legislator. The first time he was elected, he was made a parliamentary secretary. This time, he was chief of a corporation. He has stabbed the Congress," Rao added.

Jadhav's resignation will not be a setback to the Congress in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Rao asserted. "In fact, it's good if people like Jadhav go, instead of having them with us to only work against us," he said.

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Lokayukta team arrives at disputed plot; CM likely to get ED summons

News Network

October 1,2024

Mysuru, Oct 1: The Karnataka Lokayukta team on Tuesday arrived at the disputed plot in Mysuru and began investigation into the MUDA case against CM Siddaramaiah and his wife, news agency ANI reported. Snehamayi Krishna, the complainant in the case was also present with the team.

Sources stated that ED sleuths might issue a notice to CM Siddaramaiah at any time and issue summons to him for questioning. The sleuths are also keenly watching the movements of CM Siddaramaiah’s close associates and relatives, including a cabinet minister in connection with the MUDA scam.

Sources further said that there is a possibility of the ED conducting raids across the state on offices and residences of close associates of CM Siddaramaiah. The ED has also gathered information on bank accounts and financial transactions of CM Siddaramaiah and his associates.

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Monday registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), equivalent to an FIR by the police, against CM Siddaramaiah over the alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife Parvathi B.M. by the Mysore Urban Development Authority. The ED registered the case taking cognisance of the FIR registered against the Chief Minister by the Lokayukta police on September 27.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Lokayukta probing the MUDA case has also expedited the probe. The sleuths led by Mysuru Lokayukta SP T.J. Udesh have visited the controversial land on the outskirts of Mysuru city. The petitioner, Snehamayi Krishna, also accompanied the team.

The move of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife to return 14 sites allotted by the MUDA to her has triggered a debate. BJP MLA from Mysuru T.S. Srivatsa stated on Tuesday that the move of CM’s wife is not acceptable. "The two commissioners who colluded in the MUDA scam are roaming freely even today," he said.

"CM Siddaramaiah first claimed that there was no scam at all. Later, he formed a commission and now there is an FIR against him. After committing the mistake, you offer to return the sale deed. The time is up. He will have to tender his resignation and I am sure he won’t be in the position until Dasara festivities," MLA T.S. Srivatsa stated.

T.J. Abraham, one of the petitioners in the MUDA case said, “I had demanded the MUDA commissioner to take back the allotted sites. He had written back saying the process would be initiated. They were waiting for the investigation report."

"CM Siddaramaiah has not approached the division bench or the Supreme Court to challenge the order against him because there is nothing to be challenged. Returning sites is not a big sacrifice. The Chief Minister has lost it," Abraham stated.

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