Former minister H C Mahadevappa, who lost the recent Assembly elections against JD(S) candidate M Ashvin Kumar from T Narasipur Assembly segment, clarified that he will not quit the Congress and join the BJP. Mahadevappa also blamed BJP and a section of the media for spreading false news.

Speaking to reporters here on Thursday, Mahadevappa said, “I will remain in  Congress till the end. The recent reports of me planning to quit Congress was a story planted by the BJP. A few politicians, who have joined the Congress from the BJP want to push me out of the party,” Mahadevappa said.

“A section of the media and politicians, who have no ethics, are conspiring to taint my image by planting false stories. Even my dead body will not go to the BJP and I have made this clear a decade ago,” he said.

He also targeted the media saying, “A few have no ethics and write without knowing the facts. They should have spoken to me. Is politics a game to change the party whenever required. I am not such a politician,” he said.

Mahadevappa also denied any difference of opinion between him and former chief minister Siddaramaiah who lost from Chamundeshwari Assembly segment. “Did Siddaramaiah or myself express any differences between us. It’s a false news,” he claimed.

It may be mentioned that Mahadevappa, who was a close confidante of Siddaramaiah, distanced himself after the latter denied to field his son from Nanjangud (Reserve) Assembly segment in the by-elections held in April, 2017.