Bharatiya Janata Party national general secretary and party’s Karnataka in charge Arun Singh on Thursday sought to downplay the episode of senior leader and Minister K.S. Eshwarappa writing to the Governor complaining against interference of Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa in his departmental administration.
Mr. Singh, who arrived in the State on Thursday on a four-day visit, told reporters that it was not a matter of concern and reiterated that Mr. Eshwarappa should not have written such a letter to the Governor.
“Mr. Eshwarappa is a senior leader and was president of the State BJP unit. He should not have written to the Governor. But, it is not a matter of concern. We are all together. There are no differences,” he told presspersons at the Mangaluru International Airport.
Mr. Singh said he had spoken to Mr. Eshwarappa, who, in turn, made it clear that he has cordial relationship with Mr. Yediyurappa. He refused to comment on the continued tirade of Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal against Mr. Yediyurappa.
Mr. Singh arrived in the State mainly to take part in the campaign for byelections. He took part in the two-day ‘Dharma nemotsava’, a religious ceremony, at the maternal house of BJP State president and Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel at Paltady in Dakshina Kannada. He will be travelling to Belagavi on Friday to participate in the election campaign. He would also campaign for party candidates in Maski and Basavakalyan before returning to New Delhi on Sunday.
Meanwhile, sources in the party said there was a possibility of the Chief Minister meeting Mr. Singh during the election campaign. “However, if they happen to meet, they are bound to take stock of political developments, including the Eshwarappa episode,” sources said.
