Launching a counter-attack at RDPR Minister K.S. Eshwarappa, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa’s supporters within the Cabinet and some MLAs on Thursday declared that they would write against the former to the party high command. They also urged Mr. Eshwarappa to hold talks with the Chief Minister to put an end to the row.
More than half a dozen Ministers held a meeting with Mr. Yediyurappa at his home-office Krishna here on Thursday to take stock of the situation. Several MLAs too were part of the meeting. Later, while the Chief Minister desisted from commenting on Mr. Eshwarappa, Ministers and MLAs aired their views against his action.
Chief Minister’s political secretary M.P. Renukacharya went hammer and tongs against Mr. Eshwarappa for approaching the Governor against the Chief Minister. Taking exception to this, he said they too would write to the party high command against his behaviour.
Referring to Mr. Eshwarappa’s contentions about releasing funds to MLAs from outside the Budget without bringing it to his notice, Mr. Renukacharya said the decision was taken following written requisition to the Chief Minister by over 60 MLAs. They also furnished a copy of the letter by MLAs with signatures seeking funds for their constituencies from the Chief Minister to prove a point that the allocation had not been made suo motu.
Meanwhile, several Ministers, including Basavaraj Bommai, R. Ashok, K. Sudhakar, and B. C. Patil, expressed dissatisfaction over Mr. Eshwarappa’s move and strongly defended Mr. Yediyurappa.
While Mr. Bommai and Dr. Sudhakar urged Mr. Eshwarappa to resolve the issue through mutual dialogue with the Chief Minister, Mr. Ashok said approaching the Governor against the Chief Minister was an unprecedented move. He said this was not a good political culture.
All the Ministers maintained that it was the prerogative of the Chief Minister to intervene in the administration of any Minister as technically he chooses the Ministers. They argued that a senior Minister like Mr. Eshwarappa, who hails from the Chief Minister’s home district, should not have gone to the Governor against him without holding consultations with him.
According to sources, some of the MLAs close to the Chief Minister also wanted the portfolio of Mr. Eshwarappa to be changed. However, the Chief Minister has not taken any decision in this regard, it is learnt.
