In a reprieve to lingayat strongman and State BJP president BS Yeddyurappa, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has withdrawn the notice served on him in the Shivaramkaranth layout de-notification case when he was the Chief Minister till August 28. The ACB also told the High Court that Yeddyurappa will not be arrested till the further orders of the High Court.
Following the assurance by ACB Advocate Ravi Verma Kumar, High Court judge Justice Anand Kumar posted the case for further hearing on August 28.
In a petition in the High Court, Yeddyurappa had sought quashing of two new FIRs filed by ACB alleging that it was filed with political vendetta by the Congress and there is no truth in it. Senior Advocate C V Nagesh also argued that Yeddyurappa was acquitted in more than 13 denotification cases filed against him by various courts including the Supreme Court and the fresh FIRs were filed with political intention.
The case pertains to alleged denotification of land acquired for Shivaram Karant layout by Yeddyurappa during his tenure as Chief Minister.
The issuance of two notices by the ACB has become a major political row between the BJP and the ruling Congress. The BJP called this a vendetta politics and submitted a memorandum to Governor Vaju Bhai Vala seeking relief to Yeddyurappa. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah however denied the misuse of ACB and said it was based on the legal recourse in this case. The BJP has taken to streets to protest against the vendetta politics of the Congress which is crucial for the party to make it an issue. Ahead of assembly polls both the ruling Congress and the major opposition BJP is vying to garner power.
For Siddaramaiah led Congress it is crucial to retain power to keep its national identity. For BJP after its national president Amit Shah’s three day visit to Bengaluru was a churning and going strong guns to consolidate its position. Amit Shah who called Siddaramaiah Government most corrupt, has asked his party leaders to realise Congress Mukth Karnataka to win 150 saeats, Mission 150 to enter south again. After Gujarat the BJP is concentrating in Karnataka for a win in a big way to make their presence felt in the south. As the political fever is high in Tamil Nadu, BJP which has a backroom maneuver, looks at Karnataka in full throttle, which is crucial. But a survey conducted by C Fore has given edge to Congress which has boosted the moral of the party.
Meanwhile, JD(S) president HD Kumara Swamy criticised the pre- poll survey conducted by Cfore and called its a biased one.