Bengaluru: Incumbent Tumakuru MP S P Muddahanumegowda testified in Dharmasthala that he did not take any money to withdraw from the Tumakuru Lok Sabha constituency. As per the agreement reached between the ruling alliance partners JDS and Congress, this constituency was left to the former whose supremo H D Devegowda contested from this constituency.

Gowda, who visited the Dharmasthala temple along with his supporters, spoke to the media out in front and testified, “As all other leaders are silent on this rumour, I am clarifying in front of God,” he said.

“I am from the judicial background. There are many people who are trying to destroy my political career and rumours are one of their ways,” he said.

“I am facing an embarrassing situation. Unknown people are talking about me and it has damaged my reputation. So, I am doing this,” he said.

It can be recalled that, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in the state, S P Muddahanumegowda had filed his nomination papers as a rebel Congress candidate even after it was agreed that H D Devegowda would be the alliance candidate. After a lot of talks with party leaders, Muddahanumegowda finally agreed to back down and make way for HDD to contest. Following this, rumours surfaced that he was paid a large sum of money to withdraw from the race.