Belgaum:
Under attack from the opposition over alleged land scams and nepotism, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Saturday said he would declare his assets soon.
"I will declare my assets today or tomorrow," he told reporters in an apparent attempt to blunt the Opposition campaign against him.
Yeddyurappa's move comes after recent allegations by the JD(S) that he was worth Rs 1000 crore.
In his affidavit filed in 2008 before the Chief Election Commissioner of Karnataka, Yeddyurappa, contesting as a candidate from Shikaripura constituency, declared his total assets at Rs 1.82 crore. (
See: Yeddyurappa's 2008 affidavit of total assets)
The break-up of his assets is as follows:
- Cash holdings: Rs 1.89 lakh
- Bank deposits: Rs 8 lakh
- LIC bonds and shares: Rs 2.5 lakh
- Jewellery: Rs 22 lakh
- Two cars: Rs 9.9 lakh
- Land: 27 acres of agricultural land at Shikaripura worth Rs 32 lakh
- Four houses: Rs 1.05 crore
One of these houses, Dhavalagiri, is located in Bangalore's posh Raj Mahal Vilas(RMV) Extension, valued at Rs 97 lakh
The Chief Minister is already in the Opposition's line of fire for alleged nepotism and favouritism in land denotification and allotment to his close relatives, on which Governor H R Bhardwaj has sanctioned his prosecution on petitions by two lawyers.
In a counter-attack, the BJP government had ordered a probe into alleged land deals by former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda and his family.
Yeddyurappa accused the Governor of "trying to topple my government" and reiterated his charge that he was acting as "a Congressman".
Asserting that he would not succumb to pressure tactics of the Congress, Yeddyurappa said he would not step down from his post.
"Since Congress has ruled the state for a long time, they cannot play the role of Opposition," he said.
The Karnataka Chief Minister claimed Congress and JD(S) will not come to power for another 20 years and their future had been sealed by the recent zilla and taluk panchayat polls outcome.
He also said that a separate agriculture budget would be tabled during the coming budget session.