Karnataka Minister Patil calls BJP’s all-night agitation against MUDA 'scam' a 'political drama'
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil on Thursday slammed the opposition BJP over its all-night agitation in the Karnataka legislature after the party's demand to discuss the MUDA 'scam' was denied.
Patil said the BJP has used the ongoing legislative session for their political advantage despite explaining to them why the adjournment motion into the alternative site (plot) scam in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) cannot be taken up.
He said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has ordered an investigation into the irregularities in the MUDA by a retired judge of the High Court.
“The CM has formed a commission to investigate the allegations against him. Is there any example of a chief minister forming a commission of inquiry when there was an allegation against him?” Patil asked.
He sought to know from the opposition BJP and its ally JD(S) if there is any instance of former Chief Ministers H D Kumaraswamy, B S Yeddyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai setting up a commission.
ALSO READ: Former BJP MP Pratap Simha defends Siddaramaiah amid MUDA controversy
“ The opposition party should have appreciated the CM's stand. This (overnight agitation) is just a political drama,” the Minister said in a statement.
He reminded that the opposition is not ready to discuss the landslide at Shirur in the Uttara Kannada district.
Patil alleged that the BJP is also not keen on discussing the bills on One Nation One Election, Re-establishing Common Entrance Test (CET) against National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test (NEET) and several others for the benefit of people.
It is alleged that alternative sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been "acquired" by the MUDA.
Several supporters of Siddaramaiah too have allegedly "benefitted this way," BJP leaders alleged.
The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land, where MUDA developed a residential layout.
The controversial scheme envisages allotting 50 per cent of developed land to the land loser in lieu of undeveloped land acquired for forming layouts.
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Will continue to keep tab on development work in Bihar: Nitish to JD(U) MLAs
Patna (PTI): JD(U) president Nitish Kumar on Monday told party legislators that he will continue to keep a tab on the development work in Bihar despite having given up the chief minister's post a week ago.
Kumar addressed a meeting of the legislative party at 1, Anney Marg, which is the official residence of the chief minister and which the JD(U) supremo, now a Rajya Sabha MP, had occupied for nearly two decades.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, JD(U) MLC and spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said, "Our party leader has said that except for sessions of Parliament, which would require his presence in Delhi, he will spend his maximum time in Bihar."
"Nitish Kumar told us that he will ensure that the good work done while he was in power continues under the new government, in which the JD(U) is an important partner. To keep a tab, he will tour the state in due course," Neeraj Kumar said.
The JD(U) spokesperson was asked about speculations that the meeting had been convened to decide on the role to be assigned to Nishant, the party supremo's son, who joined the JD(U) last month, but has declined to accept a ministerial berth in the Samrat Choudhary government.
"There is no confusion about the role of Nishant, who has been accepted by the party as the leader of the future. In any case, there was no discussion on him today," Neeraj Kumar said.
Nitish Kumar has been authorised by the legislators to decide on choosing the legislative party leader, he added.
Among those present at the meeting were Union minister and former JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan' and Deputy Chief Ministers Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav.
Interestingly, don turned politician Anant Kumar Singh, who represents Mokama assembly seat, claimed after the meeting that MLAs were asked by the supreme leader to try and win "200 seats in the next elections".
"Nitish Kumar ji told us that he will now be more easily available for party workers and general public. He also said that he will extensively tour the state and asked us to work hard so that the party wins 200 seats in the next elections", said Singh, who is often in news for putting his foot in the mouth.
The Bihar assembly is 243-strong and the JD(U)'s current tally is 85, four less than ally BJP, which is the single largest party.
The JD(U)'s best-ever performance was in 2010, when it had contested 142 seats and won 115 of these. It was also the highest tally for any single party since Bihar's truncation in 2000, until when Jharkhand was part of the state and assembly had 324 seats.
