Deve Gowda accuses Yeddyurappa of colluding, cheating and grabbing

Stepping up his offensive against Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, former prime minister HD Deve Gowda today accused him and his associates of "colluding, cheating and grabbing" over 4,800 acres of land for the Bangalore-Mysore Expressway and hurting farmers' interests.
    
Gowda admitted using provocative words "bloody b******" against the chief minister yesterday but said he had withdrawn
it soon thereafter.

He said the "agony" of the farmers who were being pushed into "misery" had forced him to use such harsh words.
    
"The company personnel, the advocate general of the state and the chief minister have colluded, cheated and grabbed 4,884 acres of land," he said.

Gowda was referring to the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises Limited (NICE) project for the Bangalore-Mysore Expressway.

The JD(S) leader alleged that a senior lawyer has "misled" the Supreme Court to get favourable orders despite a 2004 order passed against the company.

He said NICE wants to "build a mahal (palace) by burying the farmers."