Karnataka: Controversy Surrounds Mysuru Road Renaming Proposal Amid Ongoing MUDA Case Against CM Siddaramaiah

The Mysuru City Corporation’s proposal to rename a stretch of the historic KRS Road as "Siddaramaiah Aarogya Marg," after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has sparked sharp criticism and controversy. The proposal, announced via a public notice on 13 December, invites citizens to share their views within 30 days.

The Janata Dal (Secular) [JD(S)] has strongly opposed the move, accusing the Congress-led Karnataka government of using appointed officials to push the renaming agenda in the absence of an elected council in the Mysuru City Corporation.

“There is no elected board in the Mysore Metropolitan Corporation. The officials appointed by the Congress’s Karnataka government have decided to name the road after Siddaramaiah to repay his debt,” the JD(S) stated in a social media post.

The party labeled the proposal as an insult to Mysuru’s historical legacy and accused Siddaramaiah of exploiting the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) for personal gains.

“Renaming the road after the corrupt Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who has exploited Muda, is not only an insult to the historic city of Mysuru but also a betrayal and disgrace to the entire state,” the JD(S) further added.

The MUDA case dates back over three decades and centers on the allotment of plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in exchange for 3.16 acres of land that had been "acquired" by MUDA. However, it is alleged that Parvathi did not have legal ownership of the land in question, which was originally acquired for forming the Devanur Layout.

Questions have been raised about how Siddaramaiah’s brother-in-law, Mallikarjunaswamy, purchased the land in 2004, years after the layout had been formed and sites allotted in 2001.

In 2010, Mallikarjunaswamy gifted the land to Parvathi. In 2014, Parvathi claimed that MUDA had illegally acquired her land and sought compensation. MUDA, admitting its error, allotted alternative sites to her in 2017.

The JD(S) has linked the road renaming proposal to the MUDA case, calling it an attempt to overshadow the allegations and ongoing trials.