Karnataka High Court ruling on MUDA case probe a political setback to Siddaramaiah?

Karnataka High Court ruling on MUDA scam poses political challenge for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah amid upcoming elections.

The High Court of Karnataka ruling on conducting an investigation into the alleged illegalities committed in the allotment of 14 Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) sites to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife is seen as a political setback to the Congress leader, who has had a “Mr. Clean” image in his political career spanning over four decades.

Besides the continuation of the legal battle, the alleged MUDA scam is expected to lead to another round of confrontation between the ruling Congress and the Raj Bhavan. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues are finding themselves on the back foot to defend themselves to counter a collective onslaught from the BJP and its ally, the JD(S), in the alleged MUDA and Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation scams.

With the Chief Minister having decided to challenge the court’s ruling, it seems the State government is unlikely to take any major decisions related to reshuffling the State Cabinet and holding elections to rural and urban local bodies, including the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, in the near future.

Further, Ministers and leaders believe that changing the Chief Minister under the present circumstances would lead to the admission of committing wrong and falling to the trap laid by the Opposition parties.

With the Chief Minister openly declaring that he has not committed any mistakes in the alleged MUDA scam, sources said the party high command was unlikely to take any major decision such as resignation. The high command knows well the popularity of the Chief Minister in Karnataka and that his support is crucial for the party in the coming elections/byelections in three Assembly segments and local bodies in Karnataka and in other States where the Assembly polls will be held, said sources.

The Assembly election process is under way in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir. The Election Commission is expected to hold polls in Maharashtra in November-December. As Karnataka is a key State where the Congress is in power, the party high command is believed to be against changing the Chief Minister at this juncture, sources maintained.

A party leader said besides Mr. Siddaramaiah, “there is no consensus candidate” among the legislators to emerge as the chief ministerial candidate and this is the major reason for Ministers backing his leadership.