President of the Veerashaiva Mahasabha Shamanur Shivashankarappa has said that ministers Vinay Kulkarni and M B Patil had offered inducements to Mutt heads in the form of money and cars to get them to support the demand for a separate religion tag for Lingayats.
Speaking at a meeting of the religious heads in Harihar on Wednesday, Shivashankarappa said Rs 56 lakh and a car had been given to Basava Jaya Mrutyunjaya Swami of Koodalasangama to spearhead the movement.
Reacting to allegations, the Panchamasali Peetha seer said in Bagalkot that he would pull himself out of the movement if the allegations were proven. “Otherwise Shivashankarappa should resign as president of Mahasabha and join the movement, the seer challenged.