Road named after Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah in Mysuru, Opposition slams civic body

Naming a road in Mysuru after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stirred a fresh controversy as the Opposition lashed out at the authorities for the move. The Janata Dal (secular) party called it a ‘betrayal and insult’ to the people of Karnataka and demanded to roll back the decision.

The Mysuru City Corporation, the civic body of the heritage city proposed to rename the stretch between Sri Lakshmi Venkataramana Swamy Temple Circle and Royal Inn Junction at Metagalli as Siddaramaiah Arogya Marga and even public suggestions were invited on the move. A few reports suggest that it was Chamaraja MLA Harish Gowda who first recommended the name of Siddaramaiah to the road.

The JDS questioned how the MCC can name the road after Siddaramaiah, who is accused in the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam and facing an investigation.

"The accused A1 Siddaramaiah, who illegally obtained a site in MUDA and cheated, is facing trial in the court and Lokayukta," the Karnataka's opposition party said, adding that there was no elected board in the city's corporation.

"There is no elected board in the Mysore Metropolitan Corporation. The officials appointed by the Congress government have decided to name the road after Siddaramaiah to repay their debt. Naming a road after the Chief Minister is a betrayal and insult not only to the historic city of Mysore but to the entire state," JDS said in a statement. Karnataka CM is yet to respond on this issue.

There has been a demand to discuss the MUDA scam case in the assembly and the ruling party and Opposition saw a heated exchange in the assembly sessions last week. Congress leader BK Hariprasad responded sharply to BJP President BY Vijayendra's demands on the MUDA scam and asked him to even speak about lands that were allegedly allotted to RSS during the previous BJP government.

"Vijayendra should ask for the investigation of the land allotted to RSS and Sangh Parivar... At what cost have they taken this land?" Hariprasad demanded.