Faced with allegations of revolting against Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and the BJP, minister KS Eshwarappa on Friday asserted that he is not a rebel, but loyal to the party. The former state BJP President had come under the scanner after he wrote to Governor Vajubhai Vala complaining of Yediyurappa’s alleged interference in the affairs of his department. While speaking to the press in Mysuru, he insisted that his outrage was only to seek justice.
"I am not a rebel, but loyal. I have always been loyal from the beginning and will never rebel against my party," Eshwarappa said.
Clarifying his position, Eshwarappa said that works worth Rs 1,299 crore pertaining to his department were sanctioned, including Rs 65 crore to the Bengaluru Urban District Panchayat, without his knowledge.
"Without my knowledge Rs 65 crore was sanctioned for the Bengaluru Urban district Panchayat. Further, Rs 774 crore was released in the first instalment and Rs 460 crore in the second instalment (for other sanctions). So altogether, Rs 1,299 crore was released in violation of the Business Transaction Rules," the minister alleged.
Stating that he wrote to party leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Chief Minister against the violation, Eshwarappa said that he had stopped the release of certain grants. However, the Chief Minister wrote to the Principal Secretary directing him to release the funds "and later inform the minister," Eshwarappa alleged. Accordingly, the Principal Secretary followed the order only to cancel it later after Eshwarappa told him that this violated the business transaction rules, the minister said.
The minister clarified there was nothing personal with Yediyurappa and added that he had to flag the issue to prevent setting a new precedent for other chief ministers to bypass the ministers concerned and release grants.
Eshwarappa said the Chief Minister seems to have been misled by a set of people who had in the past misguided him to rebel against the BJP and form the Karnataka Janata Party.
Eshwarappa on Thursday drew flak from the BJP and some ministers who said his act of complaining to the Governor against the CM was 'not right.' BJP national general secretary and in-charge of Karnataka, Arun Singh also said Eshwarappa should not have written such a letter, being a senior leader and a minister.