Mysuru: Two ministers, M B Patil and A Manju, joined issue with senior BJP leader K S Eshwarappa on his cash-for-votes allegation against the ruling Congress, saying such charges would only harm the self-respect of voters, as developmental projects launched by the late minister H S Mahadev Prasad would ensure the victory of his widow Mrs Geetha Mahadev Prasad.

"Does Mr Eshwarappa think that people of Gundlupet are marketable commodities or animals up for sale? If Mr Eshwarappa continues to speak like this, people of Gundlupet will not allow him to enter the town. May be they (BJP) leaders have plans of distributing Rs 4000 for each vote," they told the media here on Friday.

On energy minister D K Shivakumar's statement that Suttur math seer must intervene to stop BJP leaders from making statements against Mrs Geetha Mahadev Prasad, Mr Manju said: "It might be his personal statement not party's statement. It is not right to drag the math into politics. There is no connection between the math and politics."

Mr Manju said prices of milk and milk products were hiked to help farmers who are in distress owing to an acute drought. “If customers feel the pinch, they should think that they are giving money to help distressed farmers. In fact the price of milk is lesser in the state when compared with the prevailing prices in other states," Mr Manju added.