HD Kumaraswamy accuses DK Shivakumar of orchestrating Muda controversy

MANDYA/BENGALURU: Union steel and heavy industries minister HD Kumaraswamy on Friday, without naming names, accused deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar of orchestrating the exposure of irregularities in allotment of alternative sites by Mysore Urban Development Authority (Muda), which has embroiled chief minister Siddaramaiah’s wife, Parvathi.
“The news is a year old.Why has it surfaced now?” Kumaraswamy said. “The Muda scam is getting lots of publicity now. Who began it? The person who is anxious to become the next CM and is waiting to unseat Siddaramaiah did it.”
Responding to Kumaraswamy’s charge, Shivakumar said: “Some people don’t sleep, and their brains don’t work without remembering me. Ku maraswamy seems to have lost mental balance. That is why he is making such baseless allegations. I suggest that he get himself admitted to a good hospital and get treated.”
Kumaraswamy, who is also JD(S) state president, said the “news” received prominence only to bring a “bad name” to Siddaramaiah so that he can be removed from the CM post. “This is a conspiracy within Congress to trap and unseat the CM by hiring a team of lawyers and extracting documents from Muda,” Kumaraswamy said.
When asked if he is holding Shivakumar responsible for the row, the former CM refused to name names but quipped: “After pen drive factory, the leader is now focused on Muda factory.”
On Siddaramaiah’s decision to put on hold allocation of sites pending an investigation, he suggested the govt was aware of the irregularities “for a year” but it did nothing. He also blamed CM for not acting against the misuse of the 50:50 scheme. “Siddaramaiah did not act against it even when he got the report in July 2023,” he said.
On Kumaraswamy’s allegation that the govt has ordered its officials not to attend his Janata Darshan programme in Mandya, Shivakumar said they will follow protocol. “We cannot use the services of central govt employees when we go to Delhi, can we?” he said. “Let Kumaraswamy conduct his Janata Darshana by inviting people.”