'Big conspiracy': DK Shivakumar rules out Siddaramaiah's resignation after HC verdict in MUDA case

NEW DELHI: The Karnataka high court has dealt a significant blow to chief minister Siddaramaiah by rejecting his petition that challenged the Governor's sanction to probe complaints against him in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) alternative sites controversy.
Despite a plea from senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, who represented the chief minister via video conferencing, the judge refused to extend the interim order for an additional two weeks.Justice Nagaprasanna noted that the dismissal of the petition automatically vacates the interim order.
In light of the Karnataka HC's unfavorable ruling, deputy CM DK Shivakumar said Siddaramiah has the strong support of his cabinet colleagues, who have asserted that he does not need to resign.
DK Shivakumar said that there is no question of resignation and this is "political conspiracy" by the BJP.
Speaking to reporters, DK Shivakumar said, "There is no question (of resignation) by CM. He has not done anything wrong. He is not involved with any scam. This is a political conspiracy by the BJP to all of us, to all the opposition leaders of the country...so there is no question of why chief minister done anything wrong, they are creating problem. We stand by him, we support him. He has been doing a good work for the country, party and state."

Shivakumar further denied the setback to the chief minister and iterated that there is a "big conspiracy" against all the leaders of the Congress. However, he asserted that the party respects the legal system of the country.
"I am telling you again, there is no setback to the CM. It is a big conspiracy on all our leaders, including me which we have faced earlier. Didn't I come out clean? So, we will fight it out. We respect the legal system of this country. Injustice will not be flown from the seat of justice. We will get justice," Shivakumar said.
Reacting to the judgement, Karnataka Congress asserted that fight against "injustice" will continue. They also accused state Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot of "covering-up" complaints against Kumaraswamy and other BJP leaders.

"The fight against Injustice will continue; there is no question of yielding to the Governor's attempts to destabilize the government or the BJP's conspiracy. It is well known that the Governor has tried to cover up complaints against Kumaraswamy and other BJP leaders. The Governor's questioning of how these complaints were leaked only provides further evidence of his biased politics," the state unit of the Congress said on X.
The BJP however is taking the fight to the Congress and has demanded the immediate resignation of the chief minister.
Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra said, "BJP has been relentlessly fighting against the corrupt Congress government. We have been fighting against the corrupt CM Siddaramaiah...When BJP took up the issue of MUDA scam...HC said that the petition challenged by the CM has been dismissed. The judge has observed that all are equal before the law. At this juncture I demand CM Siddaramiah ji to resign."
TJ Abraham, one of the complainants in the alleged MUDA scam, said on Tuesday that anti-corruption movement has got a very big boost after the Karnataka High Court dismissed the petition of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah against the governor's sanction to prosecute him in the scam.
"Anti-corruption movement has got a very big boost. I am sure the judge has traveled quite far in various judgements throughout this country to come to this conclusion. It is a fantastic order. We were prepared for it," TJ Abraham told reporters.
Meanwhile, Karnataka minister Ramalinga Reddy said that the verdict of the single bench will be challenged in the higher benches and higher courts.
"We have faith in the law. We will fight it out. We will question (the judgement) in the double bench, other bench and Supreme Court. We stand with the CM," Ramalinga Reddy said.
Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot granted sanction on August 17 on the applications filed by two Bengaluru- based social activists Pradeep Kumar SP and TJ Abraham and Mysuru-based social activist Snehamayi Krishna.