'Will retire from politics if it is proved that audio clip is fake': Kumaraswamy on Yeddyurappa's 'concocted story' claim

BENGALURU: Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy on Saturday said he would retire from politics if it is proved that the audio clip launched via him on BJP state unit president B S Yeddyurappa's alleged toppling recreation used to be fake.

Kumaraswamy reiterated his fee that Yeddyurappa had tried to trap a JD(S) MLA with bribe and other provides and rejected state BJP strongman's claim that the audio clip used to be 'fake' and a 'concocted tale.'

Facing turmoil in the ruling coalition that has forged a shadow over the steadiness of his government, Kumaraswamy had on Friday launched the audio clip during which Yeddyurappa is purportedly trying to trap JD(S) MLA Naganagouda via his son.

"I am stating from this place ... if it is proved that it was not Yeddyurappa who had spoken and that it is mimicry or parody by Kumaraswamy, then it is not about his retiring, I will retire," the executive minister said at Dharmastala, a holy place in Dakshina Kannada district.

Kumaraswamy also said that those that "played games" with the presiding deity of Dharmastala, Lord Manjunatha, would incur his wrath.

"Invoking the name of Lord Manjunatha Swamy, he could not get protection ... he (Yeddyurappa) had to resign within one month (as chief minister)," the executive minister said.

Kumaraswamy used to be it appears regarding a "truth test" face off between him and Yeddyurappa in 2011, when the latter used to be the executive minister.

Yeddyurappa had challenged Kumaraswamy to turn out the allegations of corruption and nepotism towards him via taking the reality test prior to Lord Manjunatha and that he would also do the similar.

He later retracted and just presented prayers.

Kumaraswamy, who visited the shrine later, pledged prior to the deity that "he stood by the charges made by him against the then chief minister in the last six to seven months."

According to the custom adopted at the temple, aggrieved parties stand prior to the deity and take a pledge on the issues they have got been contesting, after fee of Rs 11 as charge.

As in keeping with the custom, the temple authorities simplest facilitate the exercise, but don't intervene.

The political war over fees of horse buying and selling had escalated on Friday with Kumaraswamy freeing the audio clip hours prior to presenting the Congress-JD(S) coalition government's finances for 2019-2020 in the assembly.

Yeddyurappa, who's at the vortex of the row over his alleged bid to poach the ruling coalition MLAs for the previous few weeks, had pushed aside the clip as "fake" and a "concocted story".

Kumaraswamy had said that throughout the purported conversation, Yeddyurappa had also spoken about a "Rs 50 crore offer to book" the assembly speaker.

In the clip, a male voice is heard offering money and ministerial berth, besides assuring Naganagouda's son Sharan Gouda about "taking care" of the speaker and the judges in case of the anti-defection law being invoked.

Yeddyurappa had pushed aside the claim via the executive minister that he had spoken in the audio about a "Rs 50 crore" be offering to the assembly speaker.

"I will retire from politics if it (the allegation) is proved. If I had spoken like this (about the speaker), if it is proved, I will resign as an MLA and quit politics," he had said.