CM Yediyurappa should resign or be sacked to ensure fair probe in 2019 'corruption' case: Congress
New Delhi, Apr 1: The Congress on Thursday demanded that Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa either resign or be sacked to ensure a fair investigation against him in a 2019 corruption case wherein he allegedly tried to lure a JD(S) MLA to the BJP by offering him money.
This comes a day after the Karnataka High Court vacated a stay on investigations into the case.
Congress leader Rajeev Shukla said the BJP only talks of morality and cleanliness in politics but does not act against its people accused of corruption.
"Now that the high court has vacated the stay on the probe against the chief minister and ordered an investigation, we feel a fair and independent investigation can only take place if the chief minister tenders his resignation or is sacked from his position," he told reporters.
Now the BJP should solicit the resignation of Yediyurappa and the governor should order an investigation against him, he said.
Shukla noted that the issue was "very serious" and a serious investigation should be conducted.
In its order on Wednesday, the high court vacated the stay on the investigation into the case registered against Yediyurappa in February 2019, when the JD(S)-Congress coalition was in power in Karnataka.
Yediyurappa allegedly offered money to the son of JD(S) MLA Naganagouda Kandkur's son Sharanagouda to lure the latter to the BJP to topple the state government.
Shukla pointed out that earlier, Yediyurappa was also allegedly involved in a Rs 662-crore apartment scam in Bengaluru but no probe was ordered despite the high court giving directions in this regard.
Shukla also mentioned another case against Yediyurappa involving the alleged illegal allotment of 24 acres of government land to private individuals, which incurred huge losses to the state exchequer.
"The government should immediately probe the matter. The chief minister should resign and a quick decision should be taken on this," he said.
Shukla said the BJP has no right to claim that it fights against corruption and preach morality till it acts against its own people who are accused of corrupt practices.
He alleged that the BJP creates a lot of hue and cry even over false charges against others, but remains silent when its leaders are accused of corruption.
Shukla also raised the issue of Karnataka Rural Development Minister K S Eswarappa writing a letter to the state governor regarding the alleged interference of Yediyurappa in his ministry and decisions being taken without his knowledge.
"When a minister of his government makes such serious allegations against the chief minister, Yediyurappa should either resign or be sacked," he said.
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How long should Congress plead for seats; time to grow in stature and capture power: TNCC chief
Chennai, May 16: The Congress, which has been out of power in Tamil Nadu for over five decades, is attempting to stage a bid to capture power in the state in the 2026 assembly elections.
TNCC chief K Selvaperunthagai deplored the present plight of his party in fighting elections in the shadow of the Dravidian majors, and appealed to cadres to strive to capture power in the state.
"The Congress has been dependent on alliance partners in obtaining seats at the time of elections for 57 years from 1967," Selvaperunthagai told party workers at a meeting in Dharmapuri on Wednesday, without naming the DMK or the AIADMK.
"This situation should change. The party should grow to apportion seats to other parties instead of asking for seats. The party workers should work hard to establish late Chief Minister Kamaraj's rule," the TNCC chief on a mission to revive the grand old party's lost glory, said.
He urged the Congress cadres to gear up for the state assembly election to be held in two years.
"Should we still be silent? We should not delay further. The party infrastructure should be strengthened. How long will we ask for seats? It is time to grow in stature and give seats to allies," he said at the meeting.
Selvaperunthagai further claimed that the Congress had "wasted 57 years" without power in Tamil Nadu.
The Congress had ruled the state for 20 years from 1947 and was sent packing home in the 1967 elections, which saw the emergence of the DMK signaling the commencement of Dravidian politics in the state.
Since then, the Congress has been fighting electoral battles in the shadows of the DMK or the AIADMK, though the party has been enjoying strong ties with the DMK since 2004.
In 1989, the Congress made a bid to avoid alliances with the Dravidian parties when G K Moopanar was the state party chief but it fell short of the target.
Later, the party suffered a split when Moopanar launched the Tamil Maanila Congress in 1996. However, he aligned with the DMK under the leadership of its president M Karunanidhi, then.
Following Moopanar's death, his son G K Vasan merged the faction with the Congress in 2002 only to revive it in 2014. Vasan is now an ally of the BJP.
Since it lost power, the Congress has been attempting to revive the golden rule of Kamaraj but this has been elusive till now.
