Muda scam: Rahul Gandhi’s silence on Karnataka Siddaramaiah’s legal woes sparks speculation | Bengaluru News – Times of India

While Rahul Gandhi has neither condemned the CM nor offered support, Siddaramaiah’s supporters are peeved that even Mallikarjun Kharge has not publicly backed him

BENGALURU : Though his colleagues insist chief minister Siddaramaiah has the backing of party brass in Delhi, speculation is mounting over the silence of Rahul Gandhi, opposition leader in the Lok Sabha and former Congress president, on the political developments in Karnataka.
Since Saturday, when governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot gave the nod to allow Siddaramaiah to be prosecuted for alleged corruption while his family secured alternative sites from Mysore Urban Development Authority, Rahul has neither condemned nor offered support to the embattled backward classes leader.
The Siddaramaiah embroglio had come up during initial reactions to the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case in Kolkata. Rahul had responded to the incident, saying: “I stand with the victim’s family in this unbearable pain. They should get justice at all costs. The attempt to save the accused instead of providing justice to the victim raises serious questions on the hospital and the local administration.”
Slighted by these comments, Trinamool Congress’ Rajya Sabha MP Kunal Ghosh posted on X, “So, Rahul ji, will you ask your CM to resign? This is a gross allegation of corruption.” Rahul has not reacted to the jibe.
But it isn’t just Rahul. National Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who was in Bengaluru when the governor granted sanction, seemed to have been caught off guard by the development. “I am not aware about governor’s sanction. I will comment only after consulting lawyers,” Kharge said.
It was not lost on Siddaramaiah’s supporters that while Kharge later criticised the NDA govt led by Narendra Modi for allegedly targeting non-BJP ruled states through governors, he did not offer any moral support to Siddaramaiah.
The CM and his deputy DK Shivakumar are scheduled to meet Rahul and other party brass in Delhi in a couple of days to clarify the accusations. Siddaramaiah will move to convince the high command to allow him to continue as CM even if an FIR is lodged against him. It remains to be seen how Rahul will respond.
For now, Siddaramaiah has staunch support of his colleagues. A minister said: “If the high command does not back Siddaramaiah, the opposition may attempt to destabilise our govt. BJP could also target the Telangana govt.”
Siddaramaiah’s son and MLC, Yathindra, echoed these concerns, while deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, who has been eyeing the CM’s post, has publicly stood by Siddaramaiah, insisting that the backward classes leader will serve as CM for a full five-year term.
Saleem Ahmed, MLC and chief whip in the legislative council, said: “Siddaramaiaji has the full backing of the party high command. He will visit Delhi soon to appraise brass.”