Entire Congress leadership stands with CM Siddaramaiah, says Shivakumar after meeting with high command

New Delhi, Aug 23 (IANS) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced on Friday that the entire Congress leadership stands with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the fight against the Governor's decision to sanction his prosecution in the alleged MUDA scam.

Addressing reporters following the meeting of high command leadership over the matter, Shivakumar said: "The entire Congress leadership under tAICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi discussed in length the recent political developments. They stand by us. They are supporting us, they know that we are being tortured and how they (the BJP) want to destabilise the (state) government."

The entire cadres of the party and the leadership, both at the state and central levels, stand unitedly with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in efforts to contribute to the development of the economically backward and downtrodden classes, he announced.

"He (Siddaramaiah) is the seniormost leader of the country in the biggest and strongest state. They (the BJP) want to destabilise it. The Congress will not allow this," he underlined.

Shivakumar said that the meeting with the top leadership was "fruitful" and they had conveyed every development in the state.

"The attempt to destabilise our government through Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot... it is not only against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah but against the Congress government which has efficiently implemented guarantees," he maintained. He reiterated that the entire party under the leadership of party President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi unitedly stood behind the Chief Minister and "they have asked us to fight with courage and continue the struggle to aid the poor".

"They have given us the succour and also given programmes to be implemented in the state," he stated, adding that the entire party at the state and national level is standing behind Siddaramaiah.

Asked about what if the ruling of the court goes against CM Siddaramaiah on August 29, Shivakumar stated they have trust in the judiciary and the law.

"There will be a situation where the Governor will be compelled to take back his decision to consent to the probe," he opined.

Siddaramaiah said that he would like to thank the high command, particularly party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, General Secretaries K.C. Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala who had participated in the discussion.

"We have explained the development and situation in Karnataka and the partisan stand taken by the Governor of the state in giving sanction to prosecute me, which is being challenged in the court," he stated.

"The matter is coming up on August 29 before the court. We believe in courts and the law of the land. We hope that the law will be on our side as the decision taken by the Governor is unconstitutional and illegal, therefore we can get justice at the hands of the court," Siddaramaiah asserted.

Surjewala, who is the Karnataka in-charge, said: "The order by the Governor is constitutionally wrong and legally untenable and we will fight it both in the court and also in the court of the people. The court of the people has already decided. We have full faith in the Constitution. We believe the law is on our side and the High Court and higher court will decide appropriately. Let the truth prevail."

"All options are open including meeting the President," he added.

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