Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah condemns the governor’s criminal decision as a political conspiracy

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has accused Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot of being a puppet of the central government after the latter decided to allow his prosecution in the alleged MUDA scandal. According to sources in the Raj Bhavan, Gehlot today approved the prosecution of Siddaramaiah.

In a press conference, Siddaramaiah strongly criticised the governor's approval, terming it unconstitutional and vowing to challenge it in court. He alleged that a larger political conspiracy involving the BJP, JD(S) and other local politicians was aimed at toppling his government, reminiscent of the riots in Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Delhi.

Siddaramaiah said he did not want to resign but criticised the BJP for not having the moral right to demand his resignation. He accused the central government of opposing social justice and the Congress's welfare programmes and said they would not tolerate his party's success. He also stressed that the governor was not taking any action against other politicians despite the complaints made against him.

(With contributions from agencies.)