Bengaluru: With Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot granting permission to prosecute Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in connection with the MUDA site allotment scam, the leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and JD(S) staged a joint protest in front of Mahatma Gandhi statue in Vidhana Soudha here this morning demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister.

Speaking to media persons, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R. Ashoka accused CM Siddaramaiah of looting the State.

He alleged that the Congress Government was acting as an ATM to the Congress High Command.

The BJP leaders, holding placards, shouted slogans against the State Government and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra has intensified his call for CM Siddaramaiah’s resignation, stating that the BJP and JD(S) have been consistently and legitimately protesting against various scams under Congress rule, particularly the MUDA scam.

“We have demanded in the Assembly that Siddaramaiah should resign, but the Chief Minister is clinging to his position and Opposition was denied the chance to present the corruption cases in the Assembly,” Vijayendra said.

He added, “We have been agitating for months, demanding Siddaramaiah’s resignation. Now, with the Governor sanctioning his (Siddaramaiah’s) prosecution as per the law, the CM should step down to salvage whatever little honour he has left. The CM and his Deputy, D.K. Shivakumar, have been trying to blackmail the Opposition, but we will not be intimidated by their threats.”

Speaking during the protest, BJP MLC C.T. Ravi said that the BJP is protesting against the Karnataka Government and  against Siddaramaiah.

“There are allegations of corruption on CM Siddaramaiah. MUDA scam has happened everyone knows about it… The Governor has given an order according to the Constitution of India. We are here to remind Congress about what they said when they were in the Opposition. The position of Governor is a Constitutional position. So, protesting against his order is wrong,” Ravi said.

Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Arvind Bellad, former Dy.CM Dr. C.N. Ashwathnarayan, MLA Munirathna, JD(S) MLC Sharavana, BJP MLC N. Ravikumar and others were present.