Mysuru: BJP leaders and workers of Mysuru, Chamarajnagar and Mandya staged a mega protest at Maharaja college ground in Mysuru on Friday. They urged the State Government to hand over the alleged MUDA (Mysuru Urban Development Authority) scam case to the CBI. They also demanded the resignation of Urban development minister Bhyrathi Suresh.
Mysore-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar said, "Even as Mysore-Kodagu Lok Sabha polls were considered as a matter of prestige by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah since it had his home district, he should have considered administration in the district as a matter of prestige. That is what people consider during elections. Since he has failed in his administration here, people have elected me as Lok Sabha candidate."
"They have failed to fill pot holes on roads and have not released funds for any developmental work in the district. They are yet to declare dengue as an emergency, and failed to take adequate measures to handle it too," he added.
He added, "While the State treasury which was surplus during the BJP led State Government is now deficit after Congress led State Government came to power due to guarantee schemes. State which was progressive ever since the era of Maharaja's is now becoming a backward State. CITB which later became MUDA was meant to distribute sites for the poor. Now it has become a place to enhance the assets of those within the government."
BJP workers attempted to lay siege to MUDA but were prevented by Police and they were taken to custody. MLAs T S Srivatsa, L Nagendra, former mayor Shivakumar, Raghu Kautilya, C Mahesh, M G Mahesh, Manjula, Mahadevswamy, Niranjan, M V Ravishankar, Somshekar, Shailesh Kumar, Yogi, Mahesh Raj Urs, M A Mohan, Jayaramegowda, Jayaprakash led the protest.
They protested against distribution of sites by MUDA to landowners including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife under a 50-50 sharing basis. These sites were distributed in cases where MUDA had not distributed compensation to landowners for lands acquired and developed.
BJP State head B Y Vijayendra who was heading to participate in the protest, was taken to custody near Kengeri.
Meanwhile, more than 1000 Congress leaders and party workers staged a protest against BJP near Institute of Engineers next to MUDA (Mysore Urban Development Authority) office in Mysuru on Friday.
KPCC spokesperson M Lakshmana said that BJP leaders are targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's family, though his wife got the sites in alternate developed area, as compensation legally, for 3.16 acre of her land acquired by MUDA. BJP leaders have been creating false rumours and trying to defame him for over two weeks. BJP is known for its lies. Congress party workers were patient and tolerant so far. Henceforth they will fight against BJP like they took freedom struggle against Britishers. They will release all the documents related to scams during the BJP led State Government one by one. Siddaramaiah has been protecting the interests of people of AHINDA, Dalits and minority communities. Do they think that they can arrest Siddaramaiah like they have done Delhi CM Aravind Kejriwal? It is not possible. People have given a clear mandate of 136 seats to Congress in previous Legislative Assembly election. Congress would be in power for the next four years and come to power next term also, he said.
Mysore district congress committee (rural) president B J Vijaykumar said that BJP which has been rejected by people of the State in previous assembly elections have resorted to this political conspiracy, he said.
MDCC City president Murthy and others participated in the protest.