A Year Of Political Upheavals

It was a politically charged year marked by scams and scandals allegedly involving politicians, and elections that saw oscillating fortunes for parties and their top leaders.

- RAMU PATIL

The Congress government and its top leaders, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, were mired in controversies and facing serious charges. The CM and his family members are being investigated by the Lokayukta police in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) sites allotment case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also investigating the case.

The MUDA had allotted 14 residential sites in an upmarket locality in Mysuru to the CM's wife. The sites were returned after the governor sanctioned prosecuting the CM, and the High Court made scathing observations. The MUDA developments caused major embarrassment to the CM and the government. For Siddaramaiah, a lot depends on the outcome of the ongoing probe in the case.

The government was also embroiled in a multi-crore scam in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation. Funds from the corporation's bank accounts were illegally transferred to private accounts. Funds meant for the welfare of people from scheduled castes were allegedly used in the Lok Sabha polls.

The scam was exposed after a corporation official died by suicide, leaving behind a death note. Scheduled Tribes Welfare Minister B Nagendra resigned and was arrested by the ED. The role of the Finance Department officials is also said to be under the scanner of the central agency.