Bengaluru, Oct 15 : The Congress party in Karnataka is under significant scrutiny due to allegations of land scams, which have become a major concern for its image. The recent controversy involves the family of its party President Mallikarjun Kharge, following similar allegations against Chief Minister Siddaramiah.

This is not the first time the party has been embroiled in land-related scams. Several prominent and top Congress leaders and their close family members, including Robert Vadra, have faced accusations of involvement in land scams, raising questions about transparency and ethics within the party.

The situation has led to heightened political tensions, with the opposition seizing the opportunity to criticize Congress and demand accountability. As the party navigates these allegations, the implications for its reputation and electoral prospects could be profound.

The unfolding developments are likely to keep the media and public gaze on the Congress' attempts to address these challenges while maintaining its leadership and support base. How the party responds to these allegations will be crucial in determining its future trajectory in Indian politics.

In Karnataka, Congress will face a litmus test in the upcoming bypolls for three Assembly seats. The party, which was confident of a thumping victory in the Lok Sabha elections following the implementation of its guarantees, suffered a setback. It managed to win only nine out of 28 Lok Sabha seats. As the party introspected on its defeat, the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam surfaced, involving CM Siddaramaiah. He is currently under investigation by the Lokayukta and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The complainant has approached the court, demanding a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The BJP has intensified its attack on Congress following party President Mallikarjun Kharge's son, Rahul Kharge, returning the allotted 5 acres of land in a prime location near the Bengaluru International Airport.

This development has raised questions at the national level.

BJP State Media in-charge Karunakar Khasale, speaking to IANS, said the Congress party's image has already been tarnished due to land scams. "The party, which won 136 seats in the Assembly elections, is now being projected as the most corrupt, and this has hurt the sentiments of the people."

"Karnataka is being portrayed as a corrupt state. Wherever Congress is in power, corruption is rampant. Anganwadi staff have not received their salaries for six months, and employees in the Valmiki Tribal Welfare Board have not been paid for five to six months after the scam surfaced. There are no funds available, and the government is mired in corruption," Karunakar added.

He further alleged that the entire cabinet and high command, instead of replacing the CM, who is facing allegations, are focused on protecting him rather than delivering good governance.

Asha Krishnaswamy, a senior journalist, opined that Karnataka has always made headlines for land and mining scams. "Since public memory is short, politicians often manage to get away with it."

"If the Congress government manages to fulfil its guarantees in the future, people are likely to vote for Congress, especially due to inflation. Many factors shape public opinion, with caste being the biggest factor in the state," she said.

At present, Congress is struggling to conduct the elections for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). The party fears that if the elections are held and it loses in the capital city, it will be a major humiliation, Asha Krishnaswamy stated.

Senior counsel and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Legal Cell President, Surya Mukundraj, maintained that there are no land scams involving CM Siddaramaiah or the family of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.

"If there were indeed a scam, there would have to be a loss to the government and personal gain involved. These are civil matters, and such cases are found in large numbers in any High Court," he claimed.

"It is not written in the rules that the families of politicians should not engage in business. Returning the sites doesn't necessarily mean that they have accepted the charges. In 2015, when BJP MP and former CM Jagadish Shettar was the opposition leader, he had discussed a senior JD(S) leader procuring 40 alternative sites measuring 300x400, and 100x150 in Bengaluru. That case is no longer being discussed," he added.

The political scenario in Karnataka is heating up as the ruling Congress, along with the opposition BJP and JD(S), is in no mood to concede ground. However, the Congress, being in power, is facing a litmus test following the alleged land scams.

/IANS