Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Congress central leadership has rallied behind Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as the Karnataka High Court rejected his petition on MUDA scam and decided to brazen it out, as his removal from the post will be perceived as an admission of guilt.
The party plans to project the sanction to investigate the allegations related to MUDA land allotment as an attempt to target “a popular OBC Chief Minister” by the BJP and derail the ‘guarantees’ that are being implemented by the Congress government.
The Congress campaign will also highlight the “bias” against Siddaramaiah and the Congress by citing the “delay” in granting sanction to probe complaints against BJP and JD(S) leaders, including Kumaraswamy.
Sources said resignation is out of question and pointed to the “spirited” counter by former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal when he was arrested in the Delhi liquor scam. Kejriwal did not resign when he remained in jail. “We cannot fall into the BJP plan by resigning,” a senior leader said.
With Siddaramaiah planning to take further legal steps, sources said there is no urgency in any “drastic steps” like resignation. The central leadership also believe that changing the Chief Minister at this juncture would lead to a perception of admitting guilt.
At the same, there is also a realisation that the allegations have created a dent on the image of the Congress government and Siddaramaiah. They believe the legal battle in the future would clear their names.
While the BJP has already raised the pitch seeking Siddaramaiah’s removal, Karnataka Congress president and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has ruled out any such move.
Syed Naseer Hussain, a Rajya Sabha MP and in-charge of the Congress President’s Office, told DH, “the BJP is using the offices of Governors in Opposition-ruled states to discredit them. Karnataka is one example. We will go to people to expose the evil designs of the BJP.”
Siddaramaiah too rejected demands for resignation saying, “all MLAs, leaders and workers of our party as well as the Congress High Command are standing firmly with me”. He also referred to HD Kumaraswamy saying he is on bail and asked whether he has resigned.
The Chief Minister’s defiant stand comes against the backdrop of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi unequivocally telling him at a meeting with Karnataka leaders on August 23 that the High Command stands by him. Shivakumar’s vehement rejection of the demand is also seen as the outcome of this meeting.
Claiming that the Karnataka Governor was trying his best to “destabilise a popular, pro-people government led by a leader who has risen from a humble background”, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal said that the Congress’ is a “strong government that will only listen to the people – not to the bullies of Delhi”.