Congress and Chief Minister preparing to fight legally and politically against Governor’s action

Congress and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah prepare for legal and political challenges after inquiry sanction by Governor Gehlot.

A day after Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot gave sanction for conducting an inquiry against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in connection with irregularities in the allotment of sites by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), the Congress and the Chief Minister are gearing up to meet the political and legal challenges. While the Congress announced that it would hold district- level protest rallies on Monday across the State, the inner circle of the Chief Minister is learnt to be busy discussing strategies on legal and political fronts.

Politically, the Chief Minister has convened a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party at the Vidhana Soudha on Thursday evening to discuss the matter. He is likely to spell out a few details on the course of action and seek the legislators’ support at the meeting which is an effort to take the party legislators into confidence after taking his Cabinet colleagues into confidence.

Sources said the Chief Minister is looking at holding discussions with top lawyers in the country who will be flown into Bengaluru. Currently, sources said the Chief Minister’s circle is looking at the platform where the sanction could be challenged. “Grounds of challenge are clear. Deliberation is on whether it will be in the High Court of Karnataka or the Supreme Court. We are looking at the course of action.”

Meanwhile, one of the complainants in the case, T.J. Abraham, who has moved the special court for people’s representatives, said the case was coming up for hearing on August 21, and that he would bring the developments in the Governor’s office before the special court. He said he had approached the court as the complaint before Lokayukta did not move forward. “I am happy that Governor has taken note of our complaint.”

The Chief Minister’s legal adviser A.S. Ponnanna said, “Legal battle will definitely commence. We are yet to decide on the right forum. We are in discussion with senior lawyers from Delhi. Once we get a clear picture, we will go ahead.”

Announcing the Congress protest to be staged on Monday, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said party workers and leaders would protest in all district centres to register their disapproval of the Governor’s action with the President of India. “Though there is no case, deliberately a case is being made out. The Governor has murdered democracy. Ours is the path shown by Gandhiji. We have told our leaders to protest peacefully,” he said. He also warned the leaders to be careful about any foulplay by mischief-mongers during the protest. He said Congress president M. Mallikarjun Kharge had been briefed about political developments.

At another press conference, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge cited several court rulings where courts held the right of judicial review with respect to the Governor’s power to sanction prosecution, indicating the government’s active willingness to seek judicial recourse.