Opposition Congress leader in the Karnataka assembly Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said he will file a defamation case against Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa for reportedly naming him among leaders who resorted to black magic to ‘eliminate’ him.
Describing as ‘unfounded’, Mr. Yeddyurappa’s reported remark against him yesterday in Mysore, Mr. Siddaramaiah said it was an attempt to defame him.
“Basically I am an atheist. I visit temples only during elections with a view not to hurt the feelings of people who join me,” he told reporters here.
“The Chief Minister needs counselling. If he thinks he can gain people’s sympathy through such statements, he will not succeed,” he said.
According to Mr. Siddaramaiah, Mr. Yeddyurappa seemed to be under “political depression” for fear of losing power because cases have already been filed against him.
In controversial remarks, Mr. Yeddyurappa had claimed there was a conspiracy to “eliminate’ him by taking recourse to ‘black magic’ after efforts to use it to unseat him from power failed.
“Those who indulged in black magic to unseat me from power and failed are involved in it again,” Mr. Yeddyurappa had said and reportedly named Mr. Siddaramaiah among other leaders.
