Yeddyurappa calls off truth test challenge

Just two days before the temple face-off at Dharmasthala with Janata Dal-Secular leader H D Kumaraswamy, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Saturday decided to back out from the 'truth test', heeding the advice of his party and religious leaders.

Speaking to reporters in Raichur, Yeddyurappa said he had dropped the idea on the advice of religious leaders and Bharaitya Janata Party President Nitin Gadkari.

Gadkari had advised Yeddyurappa that it was "not appropriate to use religious places, especially temples, for politics" and drop his temple face-off with Kumaraswamy on the issue of an alleged compromise bid by the Karnataka chief minister. 

Yeddyurappa said he will visit the temple but not "swear" before the deity and just offer worship. He said he would file a defamation case against Kumaraswamy for hurling fresh charges of irregularities to the effect that his family purchased a cement manufacturing plant in Belgaum. He said he would also send a legal notice to Congress leader Siddaramaiah for his charge that he and his family evaded income tax to the tune of Rs 360 crore.

Yeddyurappa said none of his family members would accompany him to Dharmasthala and some ministerial colleagues will be present during the pooja.

The Karnataka CM had challenged Kumaraswamy to come to the Lord Manjunatha temple at Dharamasthala along with his family and take the "trust test" to prove his claim that he (Yeddyurappa) had sent an emissary to "buy peace" with him. The programme has drawn flak from political and religious leaders.

Yeddyurappa after having darshan of Lord Manjunatha, will proceed to Kukke Subramanya, a nearby religious place, to launch several development programmes planned by the state.

Defending his earlier decision, Yeddyurappa said he had thrown the challenge to bring an end to the "baseless" allegations against him and family by Kumaraswamy.

Yeddyurappa later distributed 200 houses built by Siddaganga mutt at Umali Pannur village in Manvi taluk of Raichur for those displaced by the 2009 floods.

Minister for Health B Sreeramulu, in-charge of Raichur district and Revenue Minister G Karunakara Reddy stayed away. Yeddyurappa, who later proceeded to Gulbarga for an interaction with farmers on organic farming, appealed to the Centre to withdraw fuel price hike. He will hold consultations with farmers of Melakunda (B) village on organic farming.