An imbroglio over land allotment in Mysuru has landed Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah under the pump with the Opposition alleging that his wife, whose land was acquired by the local development authority, had unduly benefitted from compensation in the form of a more valuable plot in a prime locality.

The chief minister has now sought a monetary compensation of ₹62 crore from the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (Muda) which acquired 3.16 acres of land that belonged to his wife, Parvathy, but failed to provide adequate compensation.

But the BJP has accused the Muda of extending undue favour to Parvathy by allowing 14 housing sites in upmarket Vijayanagar, while the acquired land was in Kesare village on the outskirts of Mysuru, and demanded a CBI probe.

But Siddaramaiah has denied any wrongdoing saying he had only sought the legally permissible compensation.

The land, he clarified, was purchased by his brother-in-law Mallikarjuna who then gifted it to his sister Parvathy.

"The Muda converted our land into housing sites,” Siddaramaiah had recently said when the matter broke out.

“Should I just let go of our property? So sought compensation from the Muda. Then they offered compensation at the ratio of 50:50. But since there was no land available in that place (formerly Parvathy’s land), they gave land in another place. Is this illegal?” Siddaramaiah countered.

He emphasised how it was the BJP government in 2021 that made the allotments under the 50:50 scheme and not his administration. But an unrelenting Opposition alleged a huge scam since fully developed housing sites were allotted to those who lost undeveloped land.

Land parcels thus acquired are then developed by the Muda that paves roads, lays water and sewage lines, draws electricity connection and other civic amenities such as parks and shopping areas. Housing sites converted from the acquired land are then allotted to resident applicants.

Mysuru deputy commissioner K.V. Rajendra red-flagged the allotments of compensatory land under the 50:50 scheme and wrote 15 letters to the state government and the Muda.

Sources said he had informed how valuable land developed by the Muda was given to politicians and other influential people who had lost undeveloped land acquired by the agency.

According to BJP spokesperson M.G. Mahesh, the land that Parvathy lost in Kesare would cost around ₹2,000 per square foot while the land she was allotted as compensation would cost ₹10,000 per square foot.

To make matters worse, Rajendra was among the several bureaucrats who were transferred on Friday. The Opposition alleged that the Mysuru deputy commissioner was shunted out since he blew the whistle on the land scam.

But Siddaramaiah rubbished the allegation of corruption and loss to the exchequer. “An inquiry has been ordered to check any misappropriation of the land and the allotment of all housing sites has been frozen. So where is the loss to the government and where is my role in this?” Siddaramaiah asked.

But the Opposition is bent on leveraging what could be the biggest opportunity to put Siddaramaiah under pressure.

Union minister of heavy industries H.D. Kumaraswamy said the Muda scam was “exposed by those who are eyeing the chief minister’s post”.

The oblique reference was to deputy chief minister D.K. Shivakumar who has been at the centre of a leadership tussle ever since he led the party to power in May last year.

But Shivakumar rubbished Kumaraswamy’s allegation and said: "He has lost his mental balance and needs to be treated.”