‘50:50 rule came into effect at MUDA in 2015, during Siddaramaiah’s previous tenure as Chief Minister’

Bengaluru: The BJP has released audio recordings and documents to challenge Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s claim that the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) passed a resolution in the BJP rule to allot sites on a 50:50 basis to his wife, B.M. Parvathi.

Addressing a press conference at the State BJP Office Jagannath Bhavan in Malleswaram yesterday, N. Ravi Kumar, Chief Whip of the BJP in the Legislative Council, presented evidence including meeting minutes and an audio recording from a 2020 MUDA session.

He refuted the CM’s claims, stating that the resolution to allot the site was never passed by MUDA. “We have the audio recording from the meeting where the proposal was discussed, but no order was issued. The documents showing approval are fabricated,” Ravi Kumar asserted.

Deep-seated corruption

“This evidence exposes the deep-seated corruption within the Congress administration. The 2020 MUDA meeting did not decide to allocate land to the CM’s wife; it was part of a broader pattern of corruption,” he said.

Ravi Kumar also pointed out that the 2020 meeting was attended by then MUDA Chairman H.V. Rajeev, MLCs Dr. Yathindra Siddaramaiah and Marithibbegowda, MLAs G.T. Devegowda and Tanveer Sait, along with MUDA Commissioner Dr. D.B. Natesh.

Fabricated resolution, documents

“No approval was granted during the meeting, yet it was falsely claimed that the MUDA Commissioner and Chairman had agreed to it and that a resolution was passed. Based on this fabricated resolution, 14 sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah’s wife,” Ravi Kumar stated. He added that the Chief Minister should have resigned, taking moral responsibility for the MUDA site allotment issue.

“The 2020 meeting minutes and audio recordings clearly reveal that the matter involving the CM’s wife was not openly discussed, yet former MUDA Commissioner Natesh signed on the resolution,” Ravi Kumar asserted, calling for a criminal case against both Natesh and another official named Rajiv.

Ravi Kumar highlighted that the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP Government in 2021 formed a technical committee to review and report on MUDA’s site allotment policies. “The Committee’s report recommended halting the allotment of alternative sites due to undue favouritism and significant losses to MUDA,” he added.

50:50 implemented in 2015

He also referenced a document showing that the 50:50 rule came into effect at MUDA in 2015, during Siddaramaiah’s previous tenure as Chief Minister. “This order was annulled by the BJP in 2020. Siddaramaiah frequently makes false claims. He should resign as CM and hand over the case to the CBI,” Ravi Kumar demanded.

He further claimed that when they exposed the illegal allotment of 14 MUDA sites, Siddaramaiah countered by stating that Rs. 62 crore should be compensated to his family for land acquired by MUDA.

He pointed out that over 87,000 applicants have not received MUDA sites. “Will the CM return these sites to MUDA? He is yet to respond to this question in the House,” Ravi  Kumar said.