BJP alleges 'scam' in allocation of land to trust run by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's family, demands leader's resignation

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday accused the Congress of corruption, alleging a "scam" in the allocation of land to a trust managed by the family of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge in Karnataka, and called for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation into the matter, reported PTI.

At a press conference held at BJP headquarters, party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia demanded Kharge's resignation from the post of Congress President. He also said that his son Priyank Kharge, who serves as a minister in the Karnataka government, and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should step down.

"There is a consistent pattern of corruption within the Congress. Their new slogan seems to be 'Wherever we go, we will indulge in corruption.' The Congress has become synonymous with corruption," Bhatia asserted.

He pointed to previous scandals under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's administration, including the MUDA scam and the Valmiki Development Corporation scam, and added that the latest controversy involves the allocation of five acres of land to a trust managed by Mallikarjun Kharge and his family in Karnataka.

Bhatia claimed that the land was allocated to the Kharge family-run trust by bypassing established rules, noting that the trust includes Mallikarjun Kharge, his wife, his son-in-law Radhakrishna, and his sons Priyank and Rahul Kharge. He alleged that despite several companies and organisations applying for the land, it was improperly awarded to the Kharge family's trust.

The BJP spokesperson demanded the immediate resignation of Mallikarjun Kharge from his role as Congress President and Priyank Kharge from his ministerial position in Karnataka. "There should be an impartial investigation by the CBI to uncover the truth," Bhatia urged.

Earlier, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member Lahar Singh Siroya questioned the allocation of land by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) to the Kharge family's trust, inquiring how they qualified as aerospace entrepreneurs to be eligible for such land. He also raised concerns about potential misuse of power, nepotism, and conflict of interest.

In response, Karnataka's Minister for Large and Medium Industries, M B Patil, defended the allocation, stating on Monday that the land was allotted to an educational trust run by Mallikarjun Kharge's son, Rahul Kharge, at the prescribed price and in accordance with the norms. Patil dismissed Siroya's allegations, insisting that no rules were violated in the process.

(With PTI inputs)