<p>The confidante of Yeddyurappa, Lehar Singh is a man with many hats. He usually arranged logistics when a senior party leader arrived in Bangalore; he served as interlocutor with the BJP central leadership. <br /><br />The 59-year-old usually accompanied Yeddyurappa to Delhi to make up for his limited ability to converse in Hindi. Yeddyurappa rewarded him for his loyalty by making him a member of the Upper House. <br /><br />Singh, who is into steel business, chose to remain behind the screen, away from media glare. <br /><br />However, he came to the forefront in the controversy that ensued Kumaraswamy’s remarks that Yeddyurappa tried several times to buy his silence over graft charges through Lehar Singh.<br /><br />Singh, who is presently camping at the Kottakkal Ayurveda Vaidya Shala with Yeddyurappa, told Deccan Herald over the phone that he was pained by Kumaraswamy’s remarks. <br />He said: “I didn’t speak to Kumaraswamy about inducements nor did the Chief Minister give any such mandate.” <br /><br />Singh said he wouldn’t even dream of insulting them by offering inducements. <br /><br />“I admired Deve Gowda as the Leader of the Opposition in 1972. I have great respect for him and his family. I don’t know what prompted Kumaraswamy to make such remarks against me,” he said. <br /></p>
<p>The confidante of Yeddyurappa, Lehar Singh is a man with many hats. He usually arranged logistics when a senior party leader arrived in Bangalore; he served as interlocutor with the BJP central leadership. <br /><br />The 59-year-old usually accompanied Yeddyurappa to Delhi to make up for his limited ability to converse in Hindi. Yeddyurappa rewarded him for his loyalty by making him a member of the Upper House. <br /><br />Singh, who is into steel business, chose to remain behind the screen, away from media glare. <br /><br />However, he came to the forefront in the controversy that ensued Kumaraswamy’s remarks that Yeddyurappa tried several times to buy his silence over graft charges through Lehar Singh.<br /><br />Singh, who is presently camping at the Kottakkal Ayurveda Vaidya Shala with Yeddyurappa, told Deccan Herald over the phone that he was pained by Kumaraswamy’s remarks. <br />He said: “I didn’t speak to Kumaraswamy about inducements nor did the Chief Minister give any such mandate.” <br /><br />Singh said he wouldn’t even dream of insulting them by offering inducements. <br /><br />“I admired Deve Gowda as the Leader of the Opposition in 1972. I have great respect for him and his family. I don’t know what prompted Kumaraswamy to make such remarks against me,” he said. <br /></p>
