After a Hassan-based farmer and JD(S) party worker alleged that JD(S) MLA H D Revanna was responsible for his suicide, conflicting accounts have emerged as to the exact reason for his death.

Fifty-five-year-old Gangadhar, from Attichowdenahalli village of Holenarasipur taluk in Hassan district on Tuesday consumed poison after the former minister allegedly abused him for campaigning for a Congress candidate. The farmer died the same day.

A video-footage of the farmer’s statement was recorded when he was being treated in the hospital after he had consumed poison. It was released to the media on Wednesday.

In the video, Gangadhar alleged that he took this extreme step after Revanna accused him of betraying JD(S) by supporting the Congress during the Legislative Council election from the local body’s constituency.

The deceased party worker also alleged that Revanna slapped him when he went to clarify the matter, following which he took the extreme step out of frustration.

A day after the incident, the JD(S) leader reportedly asked the Karnataka government to conduct a CBI enquiry in the case as he felt that a section of Congress workers were plotting against him.

Despite the video evidence, Gangadhar’s son B G Mohan told TNIE that the JD(S) leader was not responsible for his father committing suicide and alleged that Congress workers were behind this to malign Revanna’s image.