Bengaluru (Karnataka): A petition will be filed in the Karnataka High Court tomorrow against Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot's permission for prosecution against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment 'scam', sources said.
Sources also said that Supreme Court senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Kapil Sibal will file the petition on behalf of the Karnataka Chief Minister.
Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Kapil Sibal will arrive in Bengaluru on August 19 morning. They will hold a long discussion with Siddaramaiah. Thus, the Chief Minister has cancelled tomorrow's visit to Mantralaya (state secretariat), sources said.
Sources also said that the Chief Minister consulted ministers who are close to him, lawyers and CM's legal advisor A.S. Ponnanna at his Kaveri residence on Sunday. During this time, there was a discussion about the petition to be filed in the High Court.
"And it has been decided to file a petition against the 'illegal' sanction of the prosecution and seek cancellation of the Governor's prior approval", sources said.
CM Siddaramaiah Calls For CLP Meeting: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has convened a Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting on August 22 in the wake of Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot granting permission to prosecute him in the alleged site allotment scam in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority. The meeting will be held in Vidhana Souda conference hall here.
Sources said that the meeting was related to the MUDA developments. The Chief Minister will brief the Congress legislators about the facts of the case and will chalk out a strategy to fight the case legally and politically, sources added.
Congress To Stage State-Wide Protest Tomorrow: Congress will stage state-wide protests against the permission given by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to prosecute Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for his alleged role in the MUDA alternative site scam.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is also the Congress state president, on Sunday said, "The protest rallies will be held in all district headquarters across the state. All party leaders and workers will participate."
Speaking to reporters at his Sadashivanagar residence, he alleged that the Governor is making a case out of nothing. "This is a 'murder of democracy' and the Congress will protest against it," added Shivakumar.
Shivakumar said he has instructed the party leaders to carry out peaceful protests and ensure that anti-social elements do not infiltrate the rallies and create trouble.
Asked about the meeting with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, he said, "We briefed him today about the developments in the state. On nationwide protests about the Governor's decision, he said, the party's top brass would decide on that.
BJP To Protest Tomorrow: BJP MLAs will hold a protest in front of the Gandhi statue of Vidhana Soudha tomorrow in support of the Governor's decision and opposing the Congress's stance on allowing the prosecution against CM Siddaramaiah. MLAs will protest at 11.30 a.m.
Addressing a press conference at the party office Jagannath Bhawan in Malleswar, Leader of Opposition R Ashok said, "The course of the Congress government in the last 15 months was towards corruption. The people of the state are talking about the corruption of Congress. This government has betrayed the expectations of the people. Corruption, death of Dalits and illegalities have become guarantees here. Tomorrow we will protest to demand CM's resignation''.
Ashok said he has spoken to Union Minister and JD (S) Karnataka President H D Kumaraswamy to send JD (S) MLAs as well for the protest.
