Mysuru: Scotching rumours that he was planning on joining the BJP , former public works minister and senior Congress leader HC Mahadevappa on Thursday categorically stated that he was not quitting his party.A close associate of former chief minister Siddaramaiah , Mahadevappa reaffirmed his commitment to the Congress. “I will work to strengthen the party in the days to come,” he added.“The Congress provided good governance, and rolled out various welfare programmes during its tenure. The defeat in the assembly election surprised me, and I am yet to recover from the shock. This does not mean I will quit the Congress, and join the BJP or any other party. These are rumours being circulated by my opponents. I am a born Congressman, and will stay in the party,” Mahadevappa said.The former minister said that the strenuous campaign during the polls had taken a toll on his health, and he had been undergoing treatment for the same. “As a result, I was unable to participate in some of the party functions,” said Mahadevappa, who also dismissed of relations between him and Siddaramaiah having frayed. “Such reports are baseless. These rumours will not tarnish our friendship,” he said.Mahadevappa lost the assembly election from T Narasipura constituency, losing to JD(S) candidate M Ashwin Kumar by a margin of more than 25,000 votes.

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