BJP accuses Kharge, son Priyank of land grab via Siddhartha Vihar Trust
Synopsis
The BJP has trained its fire on Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, alleging that his family used the Siddhartha Vihar Trust to acquire prime industrial land worth ₹100 crore and a 19-acre government plot in Gulbarga — all reportedly while the Congress was in power in Karnataka. With no response yet from the Kharge camp, the allegations mark a sharp escalation in BJP's anti-Congress offensive.
Key Takeaways
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari accused Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and son Priyank Kharge of land grabbing via the Siddhartha Vihar Trust on 24 June .
The trust allegedly received five acres of KIADB industrial land worth ₹100 crore in 2024 , ostensibly for aerospace and defence R&D.
A separate allegation involves 19 acres of government land in Gulbarga reportedly allotted to the trust during the Congress government's tenure in Karnataka.
A third claim involves an alleged 'dummy seller' used to transfer land permanently to the trust in Gulbarga, with the seller's identity reportedly unknown.
The Kharge family had not issued a public response to the allegations as of the time of reporting; no formal charges have been filed.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday, 24 June levelled serious allegations of land grabbing and corruption against Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and his son Priyank Kharge in Karnataka, claiming the family used the Siddhartha Vihar Trust to allegedly seize land belonging to the poor across multiple instances. The allegations were made at a press conference at BJP headquarters in New Delhi.
What the BJP Alleged
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari stated at the press conference that the Siddhartha Vihar Trust — whose members reportedly include Mallikarjun Kharge, his son Priyank Kharge, his son-in-law, and his wife — was used as a vehicle for alleged land acquisition through political influence. Bhandari claimed he would present 'not one but multiple cases of alleged corruption' to demonstrate a pattern of land acquisition.
According to Bhandari, the trust allegedly exploited the Congress government's tenure in Karnataka to secure land allotments that would otherwise have been unavailable to a private body.
The KIADB Land Allotment Case
The first allegation centres on a 2024 decision by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) to allot five acres of industrial land to the Siddhartha Vihar Trust, reportedly valued at ₹100 crore. Bhandari claimed this was done 'under the pretext of research and development in aerospace and defence', even though the land was designated for industrial use.
'Did Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyank Kharge misuse their power and influence to grab five acres of industrial land in Karnataka, worth ₹100 crore, through a private trust?' Bhandari asked, drawing a parallel to what he described as similar allegations against the Gandhi-Vadra family.
The 19-Acre Gulbarga Plot
A second allegation involves 19 acres of government land in Gulbarga that Bhandari claimed was allotted to Kharge's private trust by the Congress government in Karnataka. 'This meant that 19 acres of government land effectively became the private property of a trust whose members include Mallikarjun Kharge and his family,' he said, calling on the Congress party to explain the allotment.
The 'Dummy Seller' Claim
A third allegation involves what Bhandari described as a 'highly unusual act' — the trust allegedly using a 'dummy seller' to facilitate a land transfer that ultimately placed the property permanently with the Siddhartha Vihar Trust in Gulbarga. Bhandari claimed the identity of this seller remains unknown.
Bhandari also drew repeated comparisons to land-related cases involving Robert Vadra, asserting that 'the same modus operandi' was being replicated through the Siddhartha Vihar Trust. Those cases, he noted, are currently ongoing.
Congress Yet to Respond
As of the time of reporting, neither Mallikarjun Kharge nor Priyank Kharge had issued a public response to the allegations. The BJP's claims are, as yet, unverified by independent investigation, and no formal charges have been reported. The allegations come amid an already charged political climate between the BJP and Congress ahead of upcoming electoral cycles. How the Congress leadership responds — and whether any official inquiry follows — will determine the political traction these charges gain.
Point of View
More recently, figures in the Aam Aadmi Party. What distinguishes this salvo is its specificity: named trust, named land parcels, named government bodies. That specificity will be tested against documentary evidence if the Congress or any court demands it. Notably, the allegations surface with no corroborating FIR, no judicial finding, and no independent audit — meaning they remain, for now, political claims. The real question is whether the Congress response, when it comes, engages the specifics or retreats to counter-allegation. The latter would leave the BJP holding the narrative.
NationPress
24 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Siddhartha Vihar Trust at the centre of the BJP's allegations?
The Siddhartha Vihar Trust is a private trust whose members reportedly include Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, his son Priyank Kharge, his son-in-law, and his wife. The BJP alleges the trust was used to acquire government and industrial land in Karnataka through political influence, though these claims have not been independently verified or adjudicated.
What is the KIADB land allotment case against Kharge?
The BJP claims that in 2024, the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) allotted five acres of industrial land — reportedly worth ₹100 crore — to the Siddhartha Vihar Trust under the pretext of aerospace and defence research and development, while the Congress government was in power in Karnataka.
What is the Gulbarga land allegation?
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that 19 acres of government land in Gulbarga was allotted to Kharge's private trust by the Congress government in Karnataka, effectively converting public land into the private holding of a trust run by the Kharge family. No formal charges have been reported in connection with this claim.
Has Mallikarjun Kharge or Priyank Kharge responded to the allegations?
As of the time of reporting, neither Mallikarjun Kharge nor Priyank Kharge had issued a public response to the BJP's allegations. The claims remain unverified by any independent investigation, and no formal legal proceedings have been reported.
How do these allegations compare to the Robert Vadra land cases?
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari explicitly drew a parallel between the Siddhartha Vihar Trust allegations and ongoing land-related cases against Robert Vadra, claiming the 'same modus operandi' was being used. However, the Vadra cases and the current Kharge allegations are legally distinct, and no court has found the Kharge family liable for any land-related offence.
