Minister’s charge against CM under review, says BJP

Bengaluru Rural development and panchayat raj minister K S Eshwarappa’s allegation of interference in his departmental affairs by chief minister B S Yediyurappa is under review and will be resolved in the next two days, state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Nalin Kumar Kateel said on Friday

Bengaluru Rural development and panchayat raj minister K S Eshwarappa’s allegation of interference in his departmental affairs by chief minister B S Yediyurappa is under review and will be resolved in the next two days, state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Nalin Kumar Kateel said on Friday.

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Eshwarappa, meanwhile, dismissed claims that he was targeting the chief minister over personal differences and asserted that he was always loyal to the party.

Addressing reporters in Mangaluru, Kateel said: “This will end well. In the next two days, I will only resolve it.”

The BJP leader added that the party is reviewing the developments that have taken place in the last two days and discussions will be held with all concerned parties to resolve the issue.

Besides this, Kateel said a notice has been sent to BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal seeking clarification on his critical comments (seeking Yediyurappa’s removal) in March against the chief minister.

In a strongly-worded letter to governor Vajubai Vala on Wednesday, Eshwarappa had said that Yediyurappa had indiscriminately sanctioned funds to various MLAs and other persons in violation of rules.

On Friday, the minister said he was merely trying to reinstate the practice of following rules and procedures.

“I am not a rebel, I am loyal. I have always been loyal from the beginning and will never rebel against my party,” the minister, who belongs to Yediyurappa’s home district of Shivamogga, told reporters in Mysuru.

“Without my knowledge ₹65 crore was sanctioned for the Bengaluru Urban district Panchayat. Further, ₹774 crore was released in the first instalment and ₹460 crore in the second instalment. So altogether ₹1,299 crore was released, which violates the Business Transaction Rules,” the minister alleged.

Eshwarappa also recalled how Yediyurappa had quit the saffron party in 2012 to form the Karnataka Janata Party (KJP).

The developments come at a time when Yediyurappa already finds himself in a corner over the recent sexual harassment case involving former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, non-performance of his two-year-old government, cash crunch and growing calls for his removal among other problems.

The three bypolls on April 17 have presented the 78-year-old with an opportunity to silence growing dissent and consolidate his position for the remainder of the two years in power.

Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah on Thursday urged the Karnataka governor to immediately remove Yediyurappa and recommend President’s rule in the state. “The governor must immediately intervene, remove the chief minister and recommend for President’s rule,” the Congress leader said in a statement.

However, at least four Cabinet ministers extended their support to the chief minister on Thursday.

“The chief minister has allocated RDPR funds to the MLAs and it is an administrative issue. Since Eshwarappa heads the department and is unhappy over this, it has to be resolved among ourselves,” Karnataka home, law and parliamentary affairs minister Basavaraj Bommai said.

“We do not know if there is Centre’s sanction but there are some invisible hands operating. Yatnal and Eshwarappa are only mouths and the hands operating them are unseen,” A Narayana, political analyst and faculty at the Azim Premji University, had said on Thursday.