Former Minister H. C. Mahadevappa said he had never sought a Ministerial berth or portfolio in his political career.

Mr. Mahadevappa, who was not among the Ministers sworn in with Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar earlier this month, was fielding questions from reporters during his first visit to Mysuru after Siddaramaiah tendered his resignation from the post of Chief Minister.

Considered to be a close aide of Mr. Siddaramaiah, Mr. Mahadevappa was serving as Minister in charge of Mysuru district before Mr. Shivakumar assumed charge as the Chief Minister.

When asked for the reason behind his exclusion from the Ministry, Mr. Mahadevappa said the party high command had taken certain decisions based on its own calculations. “Whatever decision the high command takes, it is final,” he said.

When asked if he expected to be included into the Ministry during the expansion, Mr. Mahadevappa said he had never sought a Ministerial berth or a portfolio during his more than 40 years of political career.

He also ruled out the possibility of visiting Delhi to lobby for a berth.

Mr. Mahadevappa firmly dismissed the complaint of corruption submitted to Governor Thawarchand Gehlot against him as “baseless”.  

The former Minister, who represents T. Narsipura assembly constituency in Mysuru, said he will continue to work for creating awareness about the Constitution and democracy by joining organisations. 

When asked if the party had dropped him to accommodate Yathindra Siddaramaiah in the Ministry, Mr. Mahadevappa said he does not see Mr. Yathindra and his son Sunil Bose differently. 

He would like to see Mr. Yathindra and Mr Sunil Bose work for the same deprived sections for which he and Mr. Siddaramaiah had been working.