Zeenews Bureau
Bangalore: Stepping up its campaign against the ruling BJP in Karnataka, the main opposition party, the JD-S, on Wednesday levelled serious allegations of corruption against Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa terming his government as the most corrupt of all that have ruled the state.
Addressing a press conference here, JD-S state president and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy said that the Chief Minister has misused his authority as chairperson of the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) to gift large chunks of lands to his sons and daughter.
“I have documentary evidence to prove his involvement in major land scams. He has no moral right to continue on his post and should step down since he has cheated the people of Karnataka and benefited his family members.”
The JD-S leader even claimed to have released some documents pertaining to Yeddyurappa’s involvement in two new alleged land grabbing cases.
Kumaraswamy said, “Land bought for IT-parks were allotted to his sons. I have evidence to show that he de-notified several lands allotted to other parties and then allotted the same to his family members.”
Kumaraswamy even threatened that his party JD-S will raise this issue in Parliament and step up pressure against the ruling BJP disposition since Yeddyurappa is answerable to the people of Karnataka.
“The Chief Minister can not get immunity by claiming that he followed the procedures laid down by the erstwhile governments. He is answerable to the people of Karnataka,” he added.
He even challenged to quit politics if the ruling BJP proves allegation of corruption levelled against him.
Yeddyurappa on the other hand has said that he was ready to order a judicial probe into the charges regarding denotification and allotment of land and sites, including those to a firm in which his two sons are partners.
Slamming the opposition for its "malicious propaganda" to damage the image of his family by "levelling baseless and trivial charges", he said that he will form a panel to probe the allotment of lands and denotification done by the successive governments in Karnataka.
He also assured that the panel will function independently and there will be no interference of any kind from his government.
A fortnight back, the CM had barely managed to save his government after a section of his party MLAs along with some independents decided to withdraw support to the government, leading to his proving majority twice in the Assembly.
First Published: Thursday, November 18, 2010, 00:32