Eshwarappa shows his strength before putting in papers

By Shyam Sundar Vattam/NT

An announced, Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Minister K.S.Eshwarappa on submitted his resignation letter to Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai at the latter’s Race Course Road here on Friday. The minister has been accused of demanding 40 per cent commission from a Belagavi-based civil contractor, Santosh Patil who was found dead under mysterious circumstances at a lodge in Udupi on early this week. Bowing to pressure from various quarters including his own party leaders, the Kuruba leader handed over his one line resignation letter to Bommai who came in a special flight from Hubballi for this purpose.

Show of strength
Hundreds of followers of Eshwarappa gathered in front of the CM’s official residence and shouted slogans in favor of their leader. The slogans like ‘Hindu Huli Eshwarappa’, ‘Beda beda raajiname beda’ rent the air. The supporters also raised slogans against Belagavi Congress MLA Lakshmi Hebbalkar and KPCC President D.K.Shivakumar for hatching a plot to tarnish the image of the Shivamogga MLA.

The police had deployed a large posse at the CM’s residence.