‘Will become minister again’: Eshwarappa before quitting
SHIVAMOGGA: Ahead of his resignation, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Minister K S Eshwarappa on Friday told his supporters and party workers that he will come out clear as innocent from the allegations made against him as part of a conspiracy and will certainly become a minister once again.
Eshwarappa, against whom police have booked a case for allegedly abetting the suicide of contractor Santosh Patil, will be submitting his resignation to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai later Friday evening.
“An allegation is being made against me, should I come clear out of it or not?... for me to come clear as innocent, if I continue as Minister when investigation is on, there will be a feeling that I may influence the investigation. So I’m resigning as Minister.. .I’m telling you that I will come out innocent and will certainly become Minister once again,” Eshwarappa said.
He told this to supporters and party workers here, who were shouting slogans asking him not to resign, before leaving for Bengaluru.
As a political furore erupted, Eshwarappa had on Thursday evening announced his resignation as Minister.
Stating that party workers are pained and some were even crying asking him not to resign, later speaking to reporters he said, he has told them very clearly that this is a “agni pareekshe” (trial by fire), an allegation has been made against him, and that several people have conspired against him.
“When I asked them whether I should come out clear from all the allegations or not, they said, I should come out clear... I’m completely confident. From the blessings of our karyakartas (workers), seniors and several swamijis, who have called me. I will come clear out of the conspiracy against me,” he said, adding that he is submitting resignation to Chief Minister Bommai this evening.
Eshwarappa further said he is emotional after getting support and love from leaders like B S Yediyurappa, CM Bommai, Ministers, legislators, and karyakartas. “I’m confident that I will get justice against the conspirators’ allegations, from the love and affection of all these people,” he added.
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.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said the resignation of Eshwarappa cannot be considered a “setback” for the government.
He said the truth will come out from the investigation and asked the opposition Congress, which is demanding Eshwarappa’s arrest, not to become investigators, prosecutors and judges themselves.
“He (Eshwarappa) has decided. He will be giving resignation today evening. I spoke to him yesterday, he is of a clear stand and is voluntarily resigning. He has said that he is hundred per cent innocent. He has asked for an investigation to happen at the earliest and is confident of coming out clear from the allegations against him,” Bommai said told reporters here.
In response to a question as to whether there was any conspiracy against Eshwarappa, he said, this will come out from the investigation.
“As investigation progresses from all angles, truth will come out...,” he added.
State BJP strongman B S Yediyurappa, too, expressed confidence that he will come out clear from all allegations and return as Minister soon.
“As a situation has come for him (Eshwarappa) to resign, he is going to resign. If the investigation is completed in two to three months, it will be proved that he has no role (in the case) and that he is innocent, and there will no hurdles for him to be re-inducted into the cabinet,” Yediyurappa said.
Speaking to reporters here, the former chief minister said, due to certain unavoidable reasons, despite having committed no mistake, a situation has come for Eshwarappa to resign, under certain pressure.
“I’m confident that he will definitely face this and come out clear and become Minister once again. I will pray to god for his well-being,” he added.
Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar took a pot shot at Bommai over the statement, saying: “The protest is not for his resignation (KS Eshwarappa) but against corruption. CM said (Eshwarappa) has not done anything wrong. If he didn’t do anything then why are you accepting his resignation?”