Hours after the Udupi Town police on Wednesday booked an abetment to suicide case against Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayatraj Minister K.S. Eshwarappa and two of his aides in connection with the death of civil contractor and BJP worker Santosh K Patil (36), the Minister said there was “no question of resigning from the Cabinet” and that there was a conspiracy afoot to tarnish his image.
The Opposition Congress, meanwhile, intensified protests and threatened to launch a State-wide agitation demanding that the Minister step down. The party also submitted a petition to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot demanding the Minister’s dismissal.
The BJP Central leadership is said to have sought a report on the developments around the contractor’s death. While there was speculations that the high command had directed the Minister to resign and that he would do so at a press conference in Shivamogga, Mr. Eshwarappa declared categorically that he would not step down. “A thorough investigation into the development will bring out the truth about the conspiracy being hatched against me,” he said, adding that he had conveyed this to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
