Siddaramaiah has no other option but to resign: Karnataka LoP Ashoka

Bengaluru, Sep 25 (IANS) Leader of the Opposition in Karnataka (LoP), R. Ashoka, said on Wednesday that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has no other option but to resign after a special court ordered a probe against him in the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case.

“Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should resign immediately and set an example for the state. He always claims to be a righteous person. If he truly wants to be such a person, this is the time -- he must resign,” urged the BJP leader.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Wednesday, Ashoka said, “The moment the High Court order was issued, CM Siddaramaiah should have resigned. At least, he should have stepped down as soon as the Special Court for People’s Representatives passed its order.”

After an FIR is filed, CM Siddaramaiah won’t be able to face the police. He claims that he is without any blemishes, a gentleman, and a role model. Now, he has the opportunity to prove it. He should resign immediately, cooperate with the investigation, and set an example for the state,” Ashoka demanded.

The High Court has upheld the Governor's order for an investigation against CM Siddaramaiah, and the Special Court for People’s Representatives has ordered the Lokayukta to investigate. When the BJP raised this issue in the Assembly, ministers accused them of launching a politically motivated conspiracy. Some legislators even threatened protests similar to those in Bangladesh. However, now the judiciary itself has declared that an investigation is appropriate, providing clear reasoning, he said.

Now, CM Siddaramaiah has no other option. It is unclear what he is waiting for. The BJP didn’t file the case; it was lodged by RTI activists and campaigners. Earlier, CM Siddaramaiah had accused the Governor of being a puppet of the Central Government. Now, how will he accuse the court? Ashoka questioned.

He added that Siddaramaiah has suffered setbacks in both courts. While he has the option to approach a higher court, it’s not the BJP saying this -- it's the court itself. Since the investigation has been handed over to the Lokayukta, an FIR will be filed. Though the Lokayukta is an independent body, it still falls under the purview of the police and the police department, he noted.

Ashoka further said, “We have demanded that the Valmiki Tribal Development Corporation and the MUDA scam be handed over to the CBI for investigation.”