Bangalore: The Muda 'scam,' centered around the alleged illegal allotment of land parcels to the wife of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has been a contentious issue in the state for nearly four months. Recently, the controversy intensified following the prosecution permission and the involvement of the Lokayukta and Enforcement Directorate (ED) against the Chief Minister. However, the Congress leadership's silence may jeopardize the party's standing in Karnataka.
Top Congress leaders—Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, KC Venugopal, and Randeep Surjewala—held two meetings in Delhi with Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to strategize. Yet, the party's high command has remained conspicuously silent following the Karnataka High Court's refusal to stay proceedings in the case and the subsequent ED investigation.
This lack of public defense from Congress leaders has left Siddaramaiah politically isolated. The seasoned politician, renowned for his crisis management skills, has been compelled to rely on local support to navigate the fallout. Many within the party feel that the leadership's silence is tarnishing both the government's image and the morale of Congress workers in the state.
Concerns have been voiced openly by some party leaders. Former Congress MP DK Suresh warned of a potential public backlash, urging political figures to concentrate on development and allow the courts to handle the allegations. "The public is dissatisfied with the way different parties are hurling accusations. If political leaders don’t refocus on development, people might take to the streets, leading to unrest that could impact all parties, be it Congress, BJP, or Janta Dal. No one will be spared. I am sounding the warning bell,” Suresh stated on Friday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has frequently leveraged the Muda 'scam' during political rallies to attack Congress. Yet, neither Rahul Gandhi nor Mallikarjun Kharge have defended Siddaramaiah or countered the BJP's aggressive narrative.
A senior Congress source revealed to India Today that this inaction is fostering a “dangerous narrative.” “There is a growing perception that the Congress government under Siddaramaiah 2.0 is merely a ‘loot party’. For the last two and a half months, the entire cabinet has been on the defensive, preoccupied with allegations rather than governance,” the source noted.
Frustration within the party is palpable. "We’re fatigued from constantly defending the CM. His inner circle is responsible for this chaos. We weren’t informed when the CM decided to return the controversial site—it was a total surprise to us," said a party insider. "In an effort to keep DK Shivakumar on his side, the CM declared during the Mysore Dasara celebrations that the Congress government will complete a five-year term, without mentioning his own role in the government."
Meanwhile, DK Shivakumar has remained unusually quiet on the matter, further deepening uncertainty about the leadership's handling of the crisis. Last week, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, when questioned about the ED's investigation into the Muda 'scam,' vaguely responded, “We will make a decision when the time comes.”
This indecision raises questions about when the Congress leadership will act decisively. Will they wait until after the Haryana elections? Or will they take steps before the Maharashtra polls? The current lack of clarity and silence from the top could cost Congress its hard-won ground in Karnataka.
Additionally, the high command has not only been reticent regarding the Muda issue but has also failed to address the ambitions of several senior leaders—such as MB Patil, Basavaraj, RB Thimmapura, and Basavaraj Rayareddy—who have openly expressed interest in the chief minister's post as the scandal escalates. Instead of uniting behind Siddaramaiah, many leaders seem to be positioning themselves for the top job. The absence of directives or disciplinary actions from the high command regarding these ministers raises questions about the leadership's silence on unfolding developments in Karnataka.
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