Eshwarappa resigns as minister after furore over contractor's death

Senior BJP minister KS Eshwarappa decided Thursday to resign from Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's Cabinet as pressure mounted on him to quit in connection with the suicide of contractor Santosh Patil.

"I'll submit my resignation letter to the CM in Bengaluru on Friday evening," Eshwarappa told a news conference in Shivamogga, the place of his political birth. "My resignation has the sole intention of preventing embarassment to my party."

Eshwarappa's announcement came a day after he defiantly ruled out resignation even as the Opposition Congress was breathing down Bommai's neck to sack him.

It is said that Eshwarappa quit based on a directive from the BJP central leadership.

Also read: KS Eshwarappa's Days of Yore

Earlier in the day, Bommai told reporters that he won't press for Eshwarappa's resignation until a preliminary inquiry into Patil's death is done. Later, BJP national president JP Nadda is said to have called up Bommai. Then, Bommai spoke to Eshwarappa, ostensibly to convey the high command's decision.

"I wanted to quit a few days ago. But, I was asked not to hurry. So, I didn't resign. But, finally, I decided to step down to avoid causing embarassment to the central and state leaders," Eshwarappa said.

Maintaining his innocence, Eshwarappa expressed confidence of coming out clean. "I'm a great believer in Goddess Chowdeshwari. I'm confident I'll be free of all corruption charges. If I've done any mistake, let God punish me. And, I've asked the CM to probe the case thoroughly so that the truth is uncovered," he said.

Eshwarappa, the BJP's Kuruba face, will be the second BJP minister to step down in a year's time. Last March, Ramesh Jarkiholi had to resign following a sex scandal.

Bommai claimed that there was no pressure from the BJP top brass on Eshwarappa to quit. "Eshwarappa has thought this through. He told me he's confident he'll be exonerated."

Apparently, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had called up Eshwarappa on April 13, a day after Patil killed himself, and asked him not to resign. It is said that Eshwarappa was to quit on that day and headed towards Bengaluru. Shah, with whom Eshwarappa is known to be close, told him that his resignation would make him and the BJP government look bad. But, as days progressed, Eshwarappa's continuation became unweildy.

Eshwarappa's resignation is also reminiscent of a similar episode when the Congress was in power and KJ George had to resign following the suicide of police officer MK Ganapathy. George returned as minister after he got a clean chit.

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