Amid the controversy surrounding Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and his family’s land deals in Ujjain, the Bharatiya Janata Party has hit back at Congress, alleging that Mallikarjun Kharge and his son Priyank Kharge are involved in a massive land scandal in Karnataka. The BJP’s response came hours after the Congress party’s continued attack on the saffron party and Mohan Yadav.
What are the BJP’s charges?
BJP leader Pradeep Bhandari alleged that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and his son (Priyank Kharge – Minister in the Karnataka Government) are looting land through a trust called Siddharth Vihar Trust. Bhandari alleged several cases of corruption involving Mallikarjun Kharge and added that the Congress leader has taken over various lands and used his power and influence to usurp the lands of the poor using the trust’s name.
“The first case of land grabbing I want to present to you is the Siddhartha Vihar Trust, which was granted by the KIAD (Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board) in 2024, when the Congress government was in power in Karnataka… The stated purpose was Research and Development in Aerospace and Defence. The market rate for this five-acre plot is now Rs 100 crore…This should have been given to an industrial or aerospace trust,” said Bhandari.
He further alleged that the Congress government gave the land to a private trust owned by the Congress President Kharge. “This trust did not engage in any research and development activities…Remember, Rahul Gandhi and the entire Gandhi-Vadra family, including Robert Vadra, his brother-in-law, are facing similar allegations and cases of land grabbing in various areas. Mallikarjun Kharge, through the Siddhartha Vihar Trust, adopted the same method as the Gandhi-Vadra family,” said Bhandari.
Congress doubles down on BJP over Ujjain land scam
The Congress has doubled down on the BJP after a report claimed that Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav and his family bought lands in key areas. On allegations of mass land acquisition by MP CM Mohan Yadav’s family, Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari said that the Congress Party questioned him yesterday but the CM has not issued any response. “The Chief Minister should resign…Get the investigation done by a sitting Supreme Court judge and make it clear that you don’t mislead the country. The true situation will come to light,” said Patwari.
Congress leader Pawan Khera demanded a time-bound inquiry under the supervision of a sitting Supreme Court judge. “Before you became Chief Minister, your family had purchased hundreds of acres of land… After becoming Chief Minister, out of 168 acres, their family bought 111 acres in that area where the Mahakumbh is going to take place. They already had this information,” said Khera, levelling allegations against CM Yadav.
BJP rejects allegations against Mohan Yadav
Madhya Pradesh BJP president Hemant Khandelwal said that the Congress party is spreading rumours to tarnish the image of Mohan Yadav. “Congress and their leaders have always spread confusion. The basis on which Congress is making allegations against Chief Minister Mohan Yadav ji is completely wrong. Congress has always made every effort to weaken Chief Ministers from backward classes. In reality, Congress cannot digest the development works happening under the leadership of Chief Minister ji; the people of Madhya Pradesh will never accept this,” said Khandelwal.
