Sticking to his guns on the issue of alleged violation of Karnataka Government (Transaction of Business) Rules, 1977, by Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, senior BJP leader and Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj K.S. Eshwarappa on Friday claims to enjoy the support of senior party leaders on the ‘just’ stand he had taken.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Mr. Eshwarappa rejected the charge that his decision to write to Governor Vajubhai Vala highlighting the Chief Minister’s alleged interference in the affairs of his department amounted to a ‘revolt.’ “I am always a loyal partyman”, he said.
Mr. Eshwarappa also claimed that he had brought the matter to the notice of senior party leaders including BJP’s national general secretary Arun Singh, party’s State unit chief Nalin Kumar Kateel and party’s national general Secretary C.T. Ravi and they had endorsed the stand he had taken.
He also said he will not be cowed down by the public statements made by a few Ministers and BJP MLAs against him. In fact, Mr. Eshwarappa claimed a couple of Ministers and MLAs, who had held a press conference to hit out against him, had subsequently telephoned him and expressed support to his action. “They claimed that they had to make such public statements due to certain pressures”.
Fielding reporters’ queries, Mr. Eshwarappa also recalled Mr. Yediyurappa’s decision to quit the BJP and float a new political outfit, KJP. “He had been misled by a few people close to him and had floated the KJP. He may have similarly been misled while making allocations to departments without bringing the issue to the notice of the Minister concerned”, Mr. Eshwarappa said.