Bengaluru: Urging Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to return the 14 sites illegally allotted by MUDA (Mysuru Urban Development Authority)  in the name of his wife, BJP MLC N. Ravikumar has demanded the resignation of Siddaramaiah.

Addressing a press meet at ‘Jagannatha Bhavan,’ the party office at Malleswaram here yesterday, Ravikumar said that the Government has suspended former MUDA Commissioner G.T. Dinesh Kumar charging that the official had violated the law, norms and directions of the Government. The Government has thus agreed that the rules have been flouted, he said alleging that the CM’s wife has been allotted alternative sites in a prime locality.

Maintaining that the allotment of 14 sites to the CM’s wife in a prime locality where the rate per square feet of the land is about Rs. 10,000-12,000, the BJP MLC termed the CM’s remarks that he was unaware of Dinesh Kumar’s suspension as an attempt to fool the people of the State.

Pointing out that the suspension order of G.T. Dinesh Kumar has highlighted the irregularities and flouting of norms in the allotment of 50:50 ratio alternative sites which was introduced in 2009, Ravikumar said BJP too had raised the same questions.

“The then Legislators S.A. Ramdas, G.T. Devegowda, Marithibbegowda and others had attended the MUDA meeting when the allotment of sites to the CM’s wife was discussed, he said, barring the then MUDA Chairman H.V. Rajeev and the then Commissioner D.B. Natesh, all others had opposed the decision to allot sites to the CM’s wife. But though an official resolution was not passed in this regard at the meeting, a fake resolution was  created, as per which the CM’s wife was allotted 14 sites. When such is the case, I cannot understand why the CM is waiting for the Court’s ruling,” he said adding that Siddaramaiah should resign immediately, if he had any self-respect or honour.  Ravikumar also demanded the dismissal of Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh.

State BJP OBC Morcha President Kautilya Raghu, who also addressed the press meet, said that the BJP has been campaigning relentlessly against the massive MUDA scam.

Pointing out that a Committee of technical experts had given a report on MUDA irregularities when the BJP Government was in power, Raghu said that the Government has now suspended a former MUDA Commissioner after a long delay, which is like locking a stable when all the horses are out.

Questioning why another former MUDA Commissioner D.B. Natesh, who is equally involved in the scam and who held the post when 14 sites were allotted to the Chief Minister’s wife, has not been suspended along with Dinesh Kumar, Ravikumar alleged that perhaps, Natesh has been spared of any transfer and  disciplinary action as he favoured the CM’s family by illegally allotting the sites.