Madrid  - A corruption scandal affecting Spain's main opposition conservative People's Party (PP) widened Thursday - when a court in the eastern city of Valencia summoned one of the party's most powerful regional leaders for questioning.

Francisco Camps, 46, prime minister of the Valencia regional government, is suspected of having accepted suits worth tens of thousands of euros as bribes.

Camps was the highest-level suspect in the scandal so far. The court also summoned Ricardo Costa, the PP secretary-general in the Valencia region, and two former regional officials.

Dozens of businessmen, politicians and others are suspected of involvement with the corruption network allegedly created by businessman Francisco Correa.

PP representatives governing regions or municipalities are suspected of accepting millions of euros in bribes from companies in exchange for contracts and illegal building permits.

Camps denied the charges against him, saying the Valencia regional government was "honourable" and that he had "nothing to hide."

PP spokeswoman Soraya Saenz de Santamaria declined to say whether the party would suspend Camps' membership, like it had done with several other suspects in the scandal.

The PP has been catching up in polls with Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's Socialists whose support has declined with the country's deepening recession.

Spanish parties will next measure their support in the European elections on June 7.(dpa)