SHIVAMOGGA: Former chief minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday extended moral support to KS Eshwarappa, saying he was confident that the BJP leader would be cleared of all charges and return as a minister soon.
Eshwarappa, who was the rural development and panchayat raj minister, is accused in an FIR of abetting the recent suicide of contractor Santosh K Patil. The contractor had earlier alleged that Eshwarappa had demanded 40% commission for a Rs 4-crore project.
On Friday, Yeddiyurappa, while defending Eshwarappa, said he had committed “no mistake”. “Due to certain unavoidable reasons, despite having committed no mistake, Eshwarappa has been forced to resign under pressure. I’m confident he will face this and come out clear and become a minister once again. I will pray to God for his wellbeing,” Yediyurappa said in Shivamogga.
Asked whether Eshwarappa's resignation was a setback to the ruling BJP, the veteran leader said such a question did not arise. The investigation would prove his innocence, he said. To a question about any conspiracy in the case, Yeddiyurappa said: “I don't want to say such things. ”
Yediyurappa and Eshwarappa began their political journey from Shivamogga and are prominent among those who played a key role in building the BJP in the state. Eshwarappa’s friendship with Yediyurappa has soured over the past two years, especially after he publicly accused Yediyurappa’s family of meddling in the functioning of the government last year. This affected Yediyurappa’s chances of continuing as chief minister.
Home minister Araga Jnanendra also backed Eshwarappa and said the latter decided on his own to tender his resignation. He was not forced to resign by chief mini- ster Basavaraj Bommai or the party high command, Jnanendra added. The allegations levelled against him are baseless, he said.
In Davanagere, Yediyurappa said Eshwarappa was made a scapegoat, though he was virtually not involved in the 40% commission bribe case. “It is false propaganda being carried out by vested interests at the behest of Congress leaders to gain political mileage,” he said.
Cong behind Patil’s death, says Kateel
BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel said Congress was behind contractor Santosh Patil’s death and the investigation would prove it. Defending Eshwarappa, the chief minister’s political secretary and Honnali MLA MP Renukacharya said he knew that the kickback allegation letter was drafted at the home of a senior Congress leader on behalf of the contractors’ association and was sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top party leaders.
Contractors are at fault: Minister
Hassan district in-charge minister K Gopalaiah said contractors are the primary offenders as they pay bribes. “If a contractor is paying 40% commission, it means he is bribing officials and elected representatives. Howcome they say boldly that they give bribes? Is it not a crime?” he said. “Health minister K Sudhakar has also been accused by the contractors’ association of taking commission. He has filed a defamation case.”