MUDA row: Siddaramaiah gets support from JD(S) leader GT Devegowda, says CM need not resign

'Will H D Kumarswamy (facing FIR) be able to resign? Should Siddaramaiah who has become CM with the support of 135 MLAs resign? Show me which law asks him to resign', Devegowda said.

Chairman of JD(S) core committee and Chamundeshwari constituency MLA G T Devegowda Thursday lambasted leaders of the BJP and JD(S) including H D Kumarswamy and came out in support of Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah in the MUDA case. He said that if any person facing FIR has to resign then many leaders from all the parties including BJP, Congress and JD(S) including R Ashoka may have to resign.

"All are sitting in glass houses," he said.

In his speech during the Dasara inauguration atop Chamundi hill in Mysuru on Thursday morning, Devegowda said, "Since I know about Siddaramaiah I am talking about him. At a time when mines, real estates entered politics, and amid their attacks, Siddaramaiah has still survived in politics. He has never favoured his son, wife or family. Allegation against Siddaramaiah is unexpected," he said.

He added, "If a Governor and Chief Justice permits for investigation does that mean they should resign? Have they told Siddaramaiah to resign or asked to put him in jail? Don't the leaders of Karnataka and Centre have good developmental works to do? When a person becomes a central minister, they should realise the respect they enjoy and the responsibility they have. Instead, keeping aside the good works done by Siddaramaiah, they ask him to resign."

"Will H D Kumarswamy (facing FIR) be able to resign? Should Siddaramaiah who has become CM with the support of 135 MLAs resign? Show me which law asks him to resign. It is a filthy trend in democracy to topple the government which is doing good work and taking developmental works. They should try to serve people by getting funds from the central government instead, and pass on good messages about leadership," Devegowda said.

G T Devegowda added, "Siddaramaiah is Goddess Chamundeshwari's 'Varaputhra' and hence her blessings are always with him, at all tough times. He won by election of Chamundeshwari assembly constituency when BJP-JD(S) Government was in power in 2006. With the blessings of the goddess he has held varied positions right from becoming MLA in 1983. He became member of Kannada Kaavalu samithi, minister, presented 15 budgets, been opposition leader twice, and become CM for a second time. He took H C Mahadevappa, a dalit leader to State level, who held several popular portfolios as minister. Siddaramaiah has support of D K Shivakumar and other leaders," he said.

Siddaramaiah also backed up Devegowda's support of him by saying the JD(S) leader was a MUDA committee member and thus knows the truth.

"His words have filled strength in me. Truth is triumph," the Karnataka CM said.