Siddaramaiah not involved in MUDA irregularities: Shivakumar

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday said that the Congress is confident that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is not involved in any wrongdoing in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) irregularities.

"If the court has ordered an investigation, it will proceed. We are confident that the Chief Minister is not involved in any wrongdoing in the MUDA irregularities. If any mistake has happened, it might be due to the officials but the Chief Minister has no role in it. I can clearly state that he will come out clean," Shivakumar told media persons.

When asked if this would be a black mark on Siddaramaiah’s political career, Shivakumar said that how can there be a black mark when there is no mark at all?

“Investigations must take place. Some people have merely expressed their opinions. The Chief Minister has not been proven guilty,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.

When asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi raising Siddaramaiah’s case during the Haryana elections, he said, "Those who want to do politics will do so. There is a difference between law and politics."

On BJP and JD-S leaders protesting near the Gandhi statue at Vidhana Soudha demanding Siddaramaiah’s resignation, Shivakumar said, "In how many cases are investigations happening against central ministers? Have they resigned? Let them resign first, then we can discuss our Chief Minister's resignation."

He also announced that a decision has been taken to gradually relocate the Rajiv Gandhi Medical University to Ramanagara and to enhance the infrastructure at Kanakapura Medical College to resubmit the application to the National Medical Commission (NMC).

"The land acquisition issues for the construction of buildings in Ramanagara are being resolved, and the work is underway. Basic infrastructure required to start the medical college in Ramanagara is being provided. I have directed the relocation of the headquarters of the Medical University to Ramanagara. A government order has already been issued and the relocation will happen in stages," he said.

He further added that a budget announcement was made to establish a medical college in Kanakapura.

“Land will be acquired from the Housing Board to construct the college buildings. Since the NMC rejected the application citing a lack of infrastructure at Kanakapura, it has been decided in today's meeting to enhance the infrastructure and resubmit the application.”

He said that earlier, tenders were floated, and a ground-breaking ceremony was held to start the medical college in Kanakapura. However, during former CM B.S. Yediyurappa's government, former minister and BJP MP K. Sudhakar moved the medical college to Chikkaballapur.

“The construction cost, which was initially Rs 450 crore, has now increased to Rs 850 crore,” Shivakumar stated.

He added that the BJP has played divisive politics. “We have announced this project in the budget and will complete it gradually. We will submit a revised application to get the necessary permissions for the college. Rs 600 crore has been released for the building work in Ramanagara, and the construction is progressing swiftly. We do not engage in politics when it comes to development," he said.

When asked when the university would be relocated, he said, "In 2008 itself, the government issued an order and passed a bill to construct the headquarters of Rajiv Gandhi University in Ramanagara. This will be done in stages."