BJP accuses Congress president and his son of ‘land grab’ through trust in Karnataka

Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyank Kharge have seized control of various lands through this trust and, using their political power, have usurped the lands of the poor,” BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said. Screengrab: X/ANI

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday (June 24, 2026) accused Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and his son, Priyank Kharge, of engaging in “land grabbing” in Karnataka. Hitting back, Mr. Priyank charged the BJP with attempting to please the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).“People are asking for the accounts of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, but the BJP is working overtime to demand the accountability of Lord Buddha in Kalaburagi. You had five BJP Chief Ministers in Karnataka. Why did none of them act?” posted the Karnataka Home Minister on X.“Modi Sarkar has been in power for 12 years. If there was wrongdoing, why am I still roaming free and not in jail? My papers are publicly available and ready to discuss on any platform. Now tell us, when will your political masters in the RSS show theirs?” he said.At a press conference, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that Mr. Kharge and his son were “engaging in land grabbing and corruption in Karnataka through Siddhartha Vihar Trust”.“This trust includes Mallikarjun Kharge, his son Priyank Kharge, his son-in-law, and his wife. This trust belongs to Mallikarjun Kharge’s family. Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyank Kharge have seized control of various lands through this trust and, using their political power, have usurped the lands of the poor,” Mr. Bhandari alleged.The BJP’s attack on Mr. Kharge and his son came a day after the Congress asked why the allegation of a “land scam” in Madhya Pradesh purportedly involving the family members of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav was not being probed. The BJP has dismissed the charges against Mr. Yadav as “baseless”.Mr. Bhandari alleged that the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board gave five acres of land, having a “market value of ₹100 crore”, to the trust in 2024 for research and development in the aerospace and defence sector, despite it not having any prior experience in that field.He also alleged that in 2016, in Kalaburagi, 19 acres of land were given for a 30-year lease, which was later made permanent. A Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report in 2018 had flagged an issue related to the transfer of land, said Mr. Bhandari.The BJP leader alleged that in another matter, a “fake seller” involving 7.18 acres of land in Kalaburagi had been created in 2011. He cited another matter pertaining to a plot measuring 8,125 square metres in Bengaluru.Seeking explanations from Mr. Mallikarjun Kharge, his son and the trust about the allegations, he asked why Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar was not taking action under the Prevention of Corruption Act.BJP leaders have previously made similar allegations regarding Siddhartha Vihar Trust, which were denied by the Kharge family. Published - June 24, 2026 10:57 pm IST