The announcement of the resignation by BJP senior leader and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K.S. Eshwarappa, who is in the eye of a storm following the death of a contractor who had accused him of corruption, is being seen as a damage-control exercise ahead of the State visit of party national president J.P. Nadda.
According to sources, the party high command was keen that there should be action before Mr. Nadda arrives in the State on Friday evening to take part in the party State executive to be held in Hosapete on Saturday and Sunday.
The high command held consultations with Mr. Eshwarappa who agreed to tender his resignation, sources said. Considering the seniority of Mr. Eshwarappa and various positions held by him, the party had left it to him to take a call on the timing of resignation.
Mr. Nadda is expected to provide a road map to the party’s poll preparations at the two-day executive based on inputs provided by Union Home Minister Amit Shah who visited the State recently.
Soon after Mr. Eshwarappa quits on Friday evening, further action with respect to the case of death of civil contractor Santosh K. Patil, who ended his life after sending a WhatsApp message in which he accused the Minister of being directly responsible for his death, would be taken based on the outcome of the ongoing inquiry, sources in the BJP said.
Congress protests
“Our main effort, for now, is to ensure that the Congress’ protests fizzle out. Also, we are going to counter the Congress campaign by pointing out that Mr. Eshwarappa resigned within days unlike Congress leader K.J. George who took more than four months to quit as Home Minister after the death of IAS officer D.K. Ravi,” a prominent BJP leader said.
Also, the BJP would keenly watch for the outcome of the inquiry to know if there is any foul play, he said, while alleging that the party was suspecting the involvement of the Congress in the episode that had cast a shadow on Mr. Eshwarappa.
