Mysuru: The row over the City Congress Office site near city Railway Station seems to have finally ended with the Congress getting back the property after a 30-year legal battle.

The government had allotted a 11,000 sq.ft land  adjoining the city Railway Station to the Congress party on a 99-year lease, for the construction of Congress Bhavan, on January 27, 1967. It had stipulated an annual rent of Rs. 12 and the allotment letter mentioned that the land be used for construction of Congress office building.

The change in political scenario in the 1980s saw a private Trust by name D. Devaraj Urs Social, Economical, Political and Educational Trust, claiming its right over the land. The Congress moved the Court and succeeded in getting back the site. But the row continued with the Trust refusing to give up.

However, recently, D. Devaraj Urs Trust passed a resolution and handed over the site to the Congress along with the land records, for the construction of Congress Bhavan.

Minister Tanveer Sait, who is also the President of the Trust, on May 16, handed over a copy of the resolution passed at the meeting and also the site records to Chief Minister Siddharamaiah and KPCC President Dr. G. Parameshwara. A copy of the documents was also handed over to District in-charge Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa.

City Congress President R. Murthy, General Secretary M. Shivanna, ZAK Chairperson Mallige Veeresh, D. Devaraj Urs Trust’s Trustee Nagabhushan Tiwari and others were present.

It is interesting to note that the then Prime Minister and AICC President Indira Gandhi had laid the foundation stone for Congress Bhavan at the site during her visit  to Mysuru.

It is learnt that S.M. Krishna as CM had announced Rs. 10 lakh for the construction of the Bhavan. Dr. Parameshwara, who too visited the site a couple of months ago, had announced Rs. 25 lakh for the construction of the building and Rs. 5 lakh for compound wall while the CM had announced Rs. 1 crore.

Recently, the KPCC had passed a resolution giving its nod for the construction of Congress Bhavan at the said site.