Daijiworld Media Network - Mysuru

Mysuru, Feb 20: JD(S) MLA G.T. Deve Gowda has welcomed the Karnataka Lokayukta’s clean chit to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the ongoing Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case, much to the chagrin of both his party and the BJP. Gowda’s statement comes after the Lokayukta cleared the CM and other accused of any wrongdoing in the controversial case.

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Thursday, Gowda said, "The RTI activists—Snehamayi Krishna, Gangaraju, and others—were responsible for filing the FIR. They maintained that CM Siddaramaiah should not continue in power, but with the Lokayukta’s investigation now proving their allegations baseless, they should accept this reality."

Gowda also dismissed the claims of instability within the Congress party, predicting that the ruling government would complete its full term. "The Congress has a solid majority, and those talking about the fall of the government are only exhausting themselves," he asserted.

In addressing the issue of Congress leadership, Gowda commented on the aspirations of Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar. "Shivakumar is working towards fulfilling his ambition of becoming Chief Minister, but whether he will succeed in that endeavour remains uncertain. However, to become the CM, he needs the support of 138 MLAs of the Congress. A handful of MLAs won’t be enough to make that happen," Gowda stated.

He also highlighted the support system between CM Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, saying, "Shivakumar needs Siddaramaiah’s support to become the CM, just as Siddaramaiah needed Shivakumar's backing to secure his second term."

Despite his praise for CM Siddaramaiah, Gowda made it clear that he is distancing himself from the JD(S). "I will not be attending any JD(S) party meetings, nor will I be involved in any organisational activities," he said. Gowda expressed his frustration with the party for what he described as the "overlooking" of his seniority, further deepening the rift.

In the 2018 state Assembly elections, G.T. Deve Gowda defeated CM Siddaramaiah by a significant 36,000-vote margin from the Chamundeshwari constituency. Since then, his relationship with the JD(S) leadership has soured.

Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, the JD(S) state president, has promised to address Gowda’s concerns soon and resolve the issue with the senior leader.

Gowda’s statements are likely to add fuel to the ongoing political drama in Karnataka, as the rift between Congress and JD(S) continues to grow, alongside tensions within the Congress regarding the leadership transition.