Bengaluru: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is dillydallying to take the resignation of tainted minister K.S.Eshwarappa in connection with the suicide of a civil contractor Santosh Patil.

Pressure is mounting on party leadership and chief minister Basavaraj Bommai to sack Eshwarappa, for allegedly responsible for the death of civil contractor Santosh Patil, who found dead in a lodge in Udupi on Tuesday morning.

Mr. Eshwarappa is a blue-eyed boy of RSS, the parent organization of BJP. His recent outburst against Muslims in the Hijab row was much praised by the RSS and Pro-Hindu organizations. Many RSS leaders including Kaladka Prabhakar Bhat openly praised Mr. Eshwarappa for his strong Hindu stand. Thus sacking him from the cabinet would not be easy for Mr. Bommai

Before taking the extreme steps of committing suicide, Patil send a WhatsApp message to the media, accusing Mr. Eshwarappa was responsible for his death, as he demanded 40 percent commission to release funds for road works done by Patil in Belagavi.

‘Adamant’ Eshwarappa refused to resign, criticized that Congress has hatched a conspiracy against him. “Mere WhatsApp message cannot be considered a suicide note, anybody can send a WhatsApp message blaming his involvement”, Mr.Eshwarappa contended.

However, FIR has been filed against Eshwarappa, so his continuation in the cabinet brings embracement to the BJP. Even Congress has intensified its protest against BJP for not sacking Eshwarappa from the Cabinet. Congress demanded the immediate arrest of Eshwarappa in the case.

Sources said that BJP central leadership asked CM to take the resignation of Eshwarappa, but Eshwarappa has refused to step down.

Some sources in the party maintained that if Eshwarappa resigns, he accepts the crime committed by him. After his resignation, opposition pressed for his arrest, thus BJP has unlikely to take immediate resignation of Eshwarappa, sources maintained.

BJP Karnataka tweets

Even BJP Karnataka accused KPCC  President D.K.Shivakumar that he implicating Eshwarappa in the false case. In a series of tweets, BJP Karnataka tweeted that  “To target Eshwarappa, ‘Mahayanaka’ (Shivkumar) has been used many weapons against him. Earlier he threatened Eshwarappa in the House that I will not let you. I will make a settlement to Eshwarappa, Mahanayaka said in the House, This is nothing but settlement politics of Mayanayaka”, BJP tweeted.

In another tweet, BJP Karnataka said, “Mayanayaka targeted Eshwarappa, alleged that Eshwarappa had distributed saffron shawl to Hindu youths to fight against Hijab row, Mayanayaka let team resorted dharna in the Assembly on Bhagwadwaj issue and demanded his resignation”.

Earlier Mahayanaka threatened that he will make a settlement to Eshwarappa. “Ringmaster has joined hands with Benami President against Eshwarappa. Congress has initiated 40 percent toolkit drama in Belagavi Rural Assembly constituency”, BJP alleged in the tweets.

"ಈಶ್ವರಪ್ಪನಿಗೆ ಸೆಟಲ್ಮೆಂಟ್ ಮಾಡುತ್ತೇನೆ" ಎಂದು #ಮಹಾನಾಯಕ ಈ ಹಿಂದೆ ಸವಾಲು ಹಾಕಿದ್ದರು.

"ಬೇನಾಮಿ ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷೆ" ಜೊತೆ ಸೇರಿ ಈ #ರಿಂಗ್‌ಮಾಸ್ಟರ್ ಈ ಹಿಂದೆ ನಡೆಸಿದ ಷಡ್ಯಂತ್ರ ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ ತಿಳಿದಿದೆ.

ಬೆಳಗಾವಿ ಗ್ರಾಮಾಂತರ ವಿಧಾನಸಭಾ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ #40PercentCONgressToolkit ಪ್ರಹಸನದ ನಾಂದಿಗೀತೆ ಹಾಡಲಾಗಿತ್ತೇ ? pic.twitter.com/25IjWOAXU5

— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) April 13, 2022