Ramanagara, 5 Aug

The Opposition BJP and JD(S), on Monday continued their week-long protest march from Bengaluru to Mysuru for the third day, against an alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority site allotment scam seeking to corner the Congress government and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

'Mysuru Chalo' padayatre (foot march) -- against the alleged fraudulent allotment of sites to land losers by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), including to Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi, and demanding his resignation -- on its third day, began at Kengal, and is scheduled to cover a distance of 20 km to reach Nidaghatta in Mandya district.

BJP State president and MLA BY Vijayendra, Opposition Leader in the Assembly R Ashoka, several JD(S) leaders, legislators, leaders and workers from both parties took part, as the march began at Kengal.

Later in the day, JD(S) State President and Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy, his son and party leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy too joined the protest march along with several other leaders.

A large number of workers and leaders from both parties were seen marching shouting slogans against CM Siddaramaiah and the Congress government led by him, holding BJP and JD(S) party flags and placards, amidst sounds of drum beats.

Reacting to Yediyurappa's demand for his resignation, Siddaramaiah said in Belagavi, there is a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case against the former and asked "is he fit to continue in politics."

Channapatna is crucial for both the ruling Congress and the BJP-JD(S) alliance, as the Assembly segment will be going for by-polls, after Kumaraswamy vacated the seat following his election to Lok Sabha from Mandya.

In the MUDA 'scam', it is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been "acquired" by the Authority.