Mysuru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has declared that he would step down from politics if Prime Minister Narendra Modi can substantiate the corruption allegations — specifically the purported Rs. 700 crore Excise Department scam — that have been levelled against the Congress Government.

The CM also posed a counter-challenge, questioning if PM Modi would resign should he fails to prove these charges.

Addressing reporters at his residence in T.K. Layout this morning, Siddaramaiah stated that he had not taken any money from the Excise Department and accused the BJP of fabricating baseless corruption claims.

The Chief Minister, who is in the city to inaugurate a series of development projects, expressed frustration over the Prime Minister’s repeated use of such allegations during election rallies, particularly in poll-bound Maharashtra, suggesting that Karnataka and he himself were being targeted.

“What will the Prime Minister have to say about the corruption that occurred under BJP leadership during COVID-19 pandemic?” Siddaramaiah questioned, claiming that his Government is corruption-free and that he would continue to ensure that no corruption takes place in future.

In response to Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan’s controversial remarks about the skin colour of Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, Siddaramaiah pointed out that the media had overlooked comments made by former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda about him.

He added that while Zameer and Kumaraswamy were once close friends, he was unaware of what caused their current friction. “Zameer’s remarks will not negatively impact the Congress’ candidate in the Channapatna bypoll,” he asserted.

Bandipur night traffic

When asked about Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s reported statement regarding the potential lifting of the night travel ban in the Bandipur forest area, CM Siddaramaiah clarified that he was unsure of the context in which Shivakumar made that comment.

However, the CM confirmed that there is no question of lifting the current night travel ban on the highway passing through the Bandipur forest limits.

Reservation controversy

Replying to a question about Government plans for a reservation quota for minorities in tenders and contracts, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah clarified that some organisations had merely submitted an appeal.

Emphasising that the Government has not taken any definitive stance on the issue, he accused the BJP of exaggerating the situation and creating an unnecessary controversy.

ED probe into MUDA

Regarding the Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation into the MUDA scam, Siddaramaiah stated that the ED is performing its duties and that he had no objections to their work.

He reiterated that he would refrain from commenting on the probe, maintaining that both ED investigation and the Lokayukta case were baseless allegations not worthy of further discussion.

The CM expressed irritation when questioned about whether his wife, B.M. Parvathi, had received any notice from the ED related to the MUDA 50:50  site case. He firmly asserted that he had no concerns regarding any such notice.

On ex-Minister Nagendra

Addressing speculation about a possible State Cabinet reshuffle, CM denied any current plans for changes. However, he acknowledged that there were demands from certain party factions to reinstate former Minister B. Nagendra, who had stepped down six months ago following Valmiki Corporation scam.

He expressed confidence in Congress candidates, predicting victories in all three Assembly segments — Channapatna, Sandur and Shiggaon.

Former MLA M.K. Somashekar and other Congress leaders were also present with the CM.

CM raises hands on Cop; sparks verbal clash

During the interaction with reporters this morning, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, visibly losing his temper, raised his hand at a Police Constable assigned to security duty at his residence in T.K. Layout. This incident led to a heated exchange between Congress workers and the Police.

The altercation began when the Constable attempted to pull back a Congress worker standing too close to the Chief Minister. Siddaramaiah’s reaction to this action reportedly escalated tensions, resulting in a brief verbal clash between party members and law enforcement personnel.