Audio tape content fabricated, voice doctored, claims Yeddyurappa

Accusing Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy of blackmailing him, BJP's Karnataka unit president B.S. Yeddyurappa on Sunday said the content and voice in the audio tape are fabricated and doctored. "I met Sharanagouda, son of JD-S' Gurmitkal legislator Nanganagouda Kandakur, at Devadurga in Raichur district on February 7 and discussed many things. But the content in the audio tape Kumaraswamy released in Bengaluru on February 8 is fabricated and its voice doctored," Yeddyurappa told reporters at Hubballi in the state's northwest region, about 400km from Bengaluru.

Quoting Yeddyurappa's statements in Kannada, party spokesman S. Shantaram told IANS that the opposition leader would reveal all about the controversial audio tape in the state Legislative Assembly here on Monday when its budget session resumes. "For your kind information, Kumaraswamy had sent Sharanagouda to the circuit house at Devadurg to meet me and discuss certain things last Thursday as I was staying there. But the audio tape he released to the media is manipulated. The Chief Minister is indulging in a blackmail politics," Shantaram said quoting Yeddyurappa.

Recalling what transpired between him and the MLA's son, the former BJP Chief Minister in the state said he would retire from politics if Kumaraswamy proved that I told Sharangouda money (Rs 50 crore) was given to Assembly Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar for not invoking the anti-defection law if Kandakur joined the BJP from the JD-S. Stating that he was ready for an inquiry into the purported audio tape, Yeddyurappa said Kumaraswamy had earlier demanded Rs 25 crore to make a JD-S leader a member of the Legislative Council.

"We have a recording of Kumaraswamy demanding Rs 25 crore from his own party leader to make him an MLC. We will submit to the Speaker on Monday while raising the issue in the House," added Yeddyurappa.