Jan 29 || TC - Karnataka’s Home Minister G. Parameshwara expressed his unwavering support for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday, in light of the High Court’s pending judgment regarding the request to transfer the investigation into the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
CM Siddaramaiah, who has been named the primary accused in the MUDA case, along with his wife as the second accused, is awaiting the court's decision.
When questioned by reporters in Bengaluru about whether he would back CM Siddaramaiah no matter the circumstances, Parameshwara replied, "There’s no question about that."
He continued, "Let the judgment be delivered. We will know the outcome once it’s announced. Since the matter is under reserve, we must wait for the order, after which we will decide on the next steps."
Parameshwara also addressed the ongoing claim by MLAs that the charges against CM Siddaramaiah were politically motivated. He reiterated, "We have always stated that the MUDA case is politically driven, and the BJP is pursuing it with political intentions."
On the proposal for a second airport in Bengaluru, which would be located in Tumakuru—his home district—Parameshwara emphasized, "We have advocated for the second airport to be built in Tumakuru. It will benefit the northern part of Karnataka. Tumakuru is a gateway to 22 districts, and all of these will benefit. The airport can easily be connected to the Bengaluru International Airport at Devanahalli, though we need to address technical considerations."
He also spoke about the Metro extension to Tumakuru, noting, "A company from Hyderabad is preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR), which has not yet been submitted. Once it is, we will move forward with the project under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The government will not invest in this. After the DPR is finalized, we will seek approval from the Central government."
On the issue of party leaders continuing to make public statements about leadership despite prior warnings, Parameshwara remarked, "This applies to both MLAs and ministers. When the party issues directives, they must be followed. We will address those who persist in making statements about party matters."
He also mentioned that the high command seeks input from all party MLAs before making decisions regarding leadership, with factors like majority opinion and other relevant considerations taken into account before any official announcements are made.