Agriculture Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy has termed the allocation of compensatory sites by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) under the controversial 50:50 ratio scheme as “illegal”.

Replying to questions from reporters after the inauguration of the Farmers’ Dasara procession in Mysuru on Friday, Mr Cheluvarayaswamy expressed doubts over the existence of provisions for allotment of sites in lieu of cash compensation to the land loser. However, he said one location is intended as an incentive for the land loser, who accepted the cash compensation.

Suspecting that several sites allotted by MUDA could be part of the scam, Mr Cheluvarayaswamy said the Chief Minister has constituted an inquiry committee, which will come out with the details, and those sites which have been illegally allotted will be withdrawn.

With Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi, who was also allotted sites under the MUDA’s 50:50 ratio scheme, voluntarily surrendering the sites, he called on all allottees who were illegally allotted sites to return them respectfully . Otherwise, the sites would be taken back after the ongoing investigation is completed.

Mr Cheluvarayaswamy, however, expressed confidence that the investigation will prove that the procedure followed for allotting sites to Mr Siddaramaiah’s wife was not wrong.

He also said that Mr Siddaramaiah will emerge unscathed from the Lokayukta probe ordered as part of an alleged conspiracy against the Chief Minister by the BJP and JD(S).

The Agriculture Minister also clarified that the post of Chief Minister in the state was not vacant as both the party’s central leadership and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar had ruled out any possibility of change of leadership in the state.

There was no need to draw any conclusions towards a change of leadership in the state from Public Works Minister Satish Jharkiholi’s recent visit to New Delhi to meet All India Congress Committee (AICC) President M. Mallikarjun Kharge meet, he said.

Regarding the Enforcement Directorate (ED) registering a case against Mr Siddaramaiah and others in connection with the alleged MUDA scam, Mr Cheluvarayaswamy said the case was not related to ED.

Accusing misuse of central agencies by the BJP, the minister said CBI, Income Tax or ED conducted impartial investigations during the Congress regime at the Centre. But now 90 percent of investigations by central agencies were against the opposition, he claimed.

Regarding the investigation by the Lokayukta police, Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy said that the Lokayukta was not appointed by the current Congress government but by the previous government. However, he said he had confidence in Lokayukta, an independent body, and the courts.