Eshwarappa to skip Karnataka BJP executive meet

PTI, Apr 16, 2022, 4:51 PM IST

Senior Karnataka BJP leader K S Eshwarappa, who has resigned as Minister following allegations of abetting the suicide of a civil contractor, on Saturday said he will not be attending the party’s two-day state executive meeting in Hospet, citing personal reasons.

The ruling BJP state executive meeting is being held at Hospet in Vijayanagara district today and tomorrow, which is scheduled to be attended by BJP national President J P Nadda on Sunday.

On his next responsibility or course of action, post resignation as the Minister, he said he will abide by the party’s decision as done in the past.

”There are several programmes relating to my grandson’s marriage that are on at our house, so I will not be going (for the state executive meeting). I have conveyed it to BJP state President Nalin Kumar Kateel and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai,” Eshwarappa said.

Speaking to reporters here, Eshwarappa however said he would be attending a party event in Ballari on April 19, as part of state wide tour by BJP leaders in teams, aimed at preparations for the 2023 assembly polls.

Earlier in the day, seers of various mutts visited Eshwarappa at his residence here.

Following a political furore that erupted following the contractor’s death, Eshwarappa submitted his resignation as the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Minister to CM Basavaraj Bommai on Friday night.

Reiterating that it is a conspiracy against him, Eshwarappa said initially he had felt that Santosh Patil might have committed suicide fearing the defamation notice served to him through the court for making allegations of corruption, but later on receiving more information, he suspected whether it was suicide or murder.

”I have requested the Chief Minister to see to it that the investigation is completed soon and the report is out with facts about individuals and parties behind the conspiracy, and the guilty must be punished,” he said, adding that he has sympathy for the deceased contractor and a feeling whether he was misused by the conspirators.

The leader further said amid charges, he felt it was his duty to resign as Minister and ensure that no embarrassment is caused to people of his constituency, leaders and workers of Sangh Parivar and the BJP, Ministers, legislators and the government.

”I had been discussing it with the state and national leaders of the party. After taking consent of all senior leaders I resigned yesterday,” he added.

Eshwarappa in response to a question said he would not take any names and speculate about any Congress leaders involvement in the conspiracy against him, until the probe report is out.

Santosh Patil, a Belagavi-based contractor, was found dead at a hotel in Udupi on Tuesday, weeks after accusing Eshwarappa, who is also a senior BJP leader, of corruption.

In a purported suicide note in the form of a WhatsApp message, Patil had blamed Eshwarappa for his death.

Patil last month complained to Union Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh and also BJP central leaders stating that he was yet to be paid Rs four crore for road works undertaken in Hindalga village and had accused Eshwarappa’s aides of demanding 40 percent commission for the release of the payment.