Former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday backed KS Eshwarappa, who is facing corruption charges and set to resign as minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj. Yediyurappa said that the minister has not done anything wrong and that he will be back in the ministry after coming out clean in police investigation.
Eshwarappa has been booked for allegedly abetting the suicide of contractor Santosh Patil, who in a purported suicide note blamed Eshwarappa for his death. The contractor alleged that the minister was demanding 40% commission to clear his pending bills. However, weeks after his allegations, he was found dead at a hotel in Udupi on Tuesday.
Earlier today, Eshwarappa said he will become minister once again, after coming out clear as innocent. He is scheduled to meet Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommmai at his residence in Bengaluru and submit his resignation.
Ahead of his resignation, he said: “If I continue as minister when the probe is on, there will be a feeling that I may influence the investigation. So, I’m resigning as minister. I will come out innocent and will certainly become minister once again.”
Patil’s death has triggered sharp protests from the Congress, which has been demanding the minister’s resignation.
The Karnataka Chief Minister today said the resignation of Eshwarappa cannot be considered a “setback” for the government. He also said that the truth will come out from the investigation and asked the Congress not to become investigators, prosecutors and judges.
Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar today hit back at the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai saying why he was accepting the minister’s resignation if he had not done anything wrong. Shivakumar also said that the protest was not for Eshwarappa’s resignation but against corruption.
