Bengaluru: Amid the series of scams that has put the ruling Congress party in the State on the backfoot, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah convened a meeting of 10 Cabinet Ministers in his coterie at his official residence ‘Cauvery’ here on Monday. The meeting devised means to effectively counter the Opposition parties in the forthcoming Winter Session of the Legislative Assembly, scheduled to be held at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi from Dec. 9.

Siddaramaiah, who is rattled over the alleged irregularities related to Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), Karnataka Maharishi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Limited that is being probed by multiple investigation agencies including Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the recent move of Karnataka State Waqf Board serving notices claiming the ownership of lands, that has triggered a fresh controversy, giving more ammo to the BJP and JD(S) alliance, discussed about the plans to tackle the war-ready alliance partners, on the floor of the house.

There were serious discussions about BJP planning a State-wide movement over the controversial move of Waqf Board and the need to stop the rival party from gaining political mileage. After much deliberations, the Ministers found the findings of Justice D’Cunha Commission, which in its interim report submitted to the Government has found gross irregularities in the purchase of health equipment during Covid-19, when BJP was in power, as an apt weapon to keep rival parties under check during the Session.