Gowda not to take oath

Speaking to reporters here on Sunday, he said: “Yeddyurappa can offer prayers at Dharmasthala or Ramachandrapura mutt at Gokarna or before the Pejawar seer or at Keshavakrupa. I will be present for the prayers, but will not take oath before any God.”

Reacting strongly to the tussle between the former and the present chief minister, he added: “Yeddyurappa can challenge Kumaraswamy if he wants to. But he has no authority to talk about our family.”

Gowda claimed that after “begging” Kumaraswamy for support, Yeddyurappa had sent Shobha Karandlaje and Ramachandra Gowda to pacify the senior Gowda. “But I sent them away, I will now focus on touring the State and strengthening the party,” he said.