Confident that Guv will reject petition seeking my prosecution: CM

Mysuru (Karnataka), NT Bureau: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said he is confident the Governor will be "convinced", and will reject the petition seeking sanction for prosecution against him in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment 'scam', as everything is legal and as per the Constitution.

Asserting that truth always triumphs, he said the opposition BJP and JD(S) are scared of him and his government as they are pro-people and poor, and hence are making efforts to destabilise it by making false allegations.

"When everything is legal, (the Governor) should be convinced... not hopeful, I'm confident that he will accept (the government's response) as things are legal. He (Governor) is the head of the Constitution, when things are in accordance with the Constitution, why won't he accept? I'm confident that he will accept," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.

Asked if he suspected any political conspiracy as the Governor had met the Prime Minister and Home Minister in Delhi recently, he said, "I suppose nothing...." "Since the Governor is the head of the Constitution, he will act according to the law," he added.

With the ball now in the Governor's court vis-a-vis the petition seeking sanction for Siddaramaiah's prosecution in connection with the MUDA site allotment 'scam', all eyes are on the Raj Bhavan, as to what decision Thaawarchand Gehlot takes.

Based on a petition filed by advocate-activist T J Abraham, the Governor had issued "show - cause notice" on July 26 directing the Chief Minister to submit his reply to the allegations against him within seven days, as to why permission for prosecution should not be granted against him.

The Karnataka government on August 1 "strongly advised" the Governor to withdraw his "showcause notice" and alleged "gross misuse of the Constitutional Office' of the Governor. The council of Ministers had said a concerted effort was being made to destabilise a lawfully elected majority government in Karnataka.

Asked whether the Governor has given another notice to him, the CM said, "only one notice had come." To another question whether the Governor had called the Chief Secretary and sought explanation from her, he said, "I don't know. I only know that after taking charge the new Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh had gone to meet the Governor on his return from Delhi."

They (BJP) tried 'Operation Kamala" (earlier), but were not successful, so now both BJP and JD(S) have joined together and are trying to destabilise the government this way — Siddaramaiah

The BJP and JD(S) are on a week-long 'Mysuru Chalo' padayatre foot march since Saturday against the alleged fraudulent allotment of sites by MUDA to those who lost land to other projects, including to Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi.

Claiming that the opposition was targeting him to destabilise the government, Siddaramaiah said, "They (BJP) tried 'Operation Kamala" (earlier), but were not successful, so now both BJP and JD(S) have joined together and are trying to destabilise the government, because Siddaramaiah is working for the poor, we are implementing guarantee schemes."

He said, "the opposition are unable to digest this, as they are opposed to guarantee schemes, from the day one they -- including the Prime Minister -- are saying that it cannot be implemented.''