(Image source from: x.com/siddaramaiah)

The Karnataka Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, who is facing prosecution in a land scam case, has expressed his confidence in the judicial system. He believes in the law and the Constitution, and believes that the truth will prevail. Siddaramaiah has also criticized the "revenge politics" of the BJP-led central government. He has stated that he has the support of his party's legislators, leaders, and workers, as well as the Congress leadership, and that he will continue to fight. The Chief Minister has indicated that he plans to challenge the Governor's sanction for the investigation further, and has expressed confidence that the investigation will be cancelled. Siddaramaiah has also dismissed the alleged land scam as a "sham" and has criticized the opposition leaders, particularly from the BJP, who have demanded his resignation.

The BJP had no response to Siddaramaiah's welfare programs. Siddaramaiah claimed that the leaders demanding his resignation are the same ones who opposed the schemes he implemented for the poor and disadvantaged people. He said the people of Karnataka did not give the BJP a majority to govern on its own, so it has to win power through "Operation Lotus," which refers to the Congress' allegations that the BJP seeks to destabilize elected governments by targeting senior leaders from ruling parties and disrupting their administration. The Congress has alleged that the charges against Siddaramaiah are part of the BJP's plan to overthrow its government in the southern state, which the Congress won in a surprising election victory last year. Siddaramaiah's cabinet colleagues, Priyank Kharge and Ramalinga Reddy, have also expressed support, stating that their boss does not need to resign and that he is a "100 percent clean Chief Minister." Furthermore, Siddaramaiah's deputy, DK Shivakumar, has also backed him.

The Congress party has pledged to support Siddaramaiah despite the recent court ruling against him. DK Shivakumar, a party leader, stated that they will stand by Siddaramaiah and that he has done good work for the state and the party. The Congress has also defended Siddaramaiah, noting that other leaders from opposition parties also received similar land allocations during the previous BJP government's rule. They argued that the court's decision today does not mark the end of the matter, and the Chief Minister will explore other options. The BJP, on the other hand, has intensified its criticism of Siddaramaiah, demanding that he resign from his position. The High Court rejected Siddaramaiah's petition challenging the Governor's decision to allow prosecution of the Chief Minister. The court disagreed with the argument that the Governor did not thoroughly consider the matter, and stated that he had carefully evaluated the situation. The court also dismissed a request by the Chief Minister's lawyer to delay the implementation of the court's order for two weeks. The authorities increased pressure on Siddaramaiah. Before the decision was announced, security was enhanced around his home, and the police were instructed to be highly vigilant to prevent any undesirable events, highlighting the political tension surrounding the alleged land scandal.

The alleged MUDA scam centers around the land allocated to the Chief Minister's wife, Parvathi, in a prime area of Mysuru as compensation for land taken elsewhere for infrastructure development. Critics claim the value of the land allocated is significantly higher, by around ₹ 4,000 to ₹ 5,000 crore, than the land taken. A complaint filed by an activist, TJ Abraham, alleges that the allotment of 14 alternative sites in a Mysuru neighborhood was illegal and caused a loss of ₹ 45 crore. While the Chief Minister claimed the land was gifted by his wife's brother in 1998, another activist, Snehmayi Krishna, alleged that the brother had illegally procured the land and used forged documents with government officials' help to register it. The land was shown to have been bought in 1998, and the Chief Minister's wife sought compensation in 2014 when he held the top post. The Governor's approval to prosecute the case sparked protests by the Congress party, leading to state-wide demonstrations against the decision.