MYSURU: In an interesting development, V Somanna, the BJP candidate from Chamarajanagar and Varuna segments, allegedly asked the JDS candidate from Chamarajanagar, Mallikarjuna Swamy aka Alur Mallu, to withdraw his nomination.
The audio clip has since gone viral. The conversation allegedly took place on April 24 -- the last day of withdrawing nominations. In the clip, the purported voice of Somanna requests Swamy to withdraw his nomination papers as there is little time and to support BJP.
Swamy replies that though he has great respect for the leader, he cannot withdraw. “Don’t listen to anybody and withdraw the nomination. I will look after you in the future. I am promising this by standing inside Uppar Temple,” says the alleged Somanna’s voice.
Swamy, who was earlier with BJP, had contested against N Mahesh as a BSP candidate and secured 7,000 votes in 2018. Fearing that a division of votes would affect him adversely, Somanna allegedly called Swamy.
On Tuesday, Swamy said that Somanna did call him and offered Rs 50 lakh to withdraw his nomination. “But I rejected his request. I will fight in the election without taking money from anybody. I have the chance to win against Somanna, who is an outsider,” he said.