Don’t know why I have not been re-inducted into Cabinet: Eshwarappa

Former Minister K.S. Eshwarappa has expressed his disappointment over not being inducted into the State Cabinet even after the Udupi police filed a B-report in the Santosh Patil suicide case.

Speaking to presspersons in Shivamogga on Saturday, Mr. Eshwarappa said he was clueless why he had not been re-inducted. “Our leaders B.S. Yediyurappa, Nalin Kumar Kateel, and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai have to take a decision. I don’t know why they are dilly-dallying on this issue,” he said.

Mr. Eshwarappa said he had not contacted anybody seeking re-entry into the Cabinet. “The police have given me clean chit in the case. The party had assured me Cabinet berth once the charges were cleared. Now, they have to answer why they have not decided to take me back,” he said.

Further, the former Minister said he would not disturb the party organisation over this issue.

Mr. Eshwarappa resigned as Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj on April 15 after contractor Santosh Patil ended his life. The contractor had alleged that Mr. Eshwarappa’s associates had demanded a bribe to clear his pending bills pertaining to the works he had executed on the Minister’s oral assurance in Belagavi district. A case was registered against him in Udupi, forcing Mr. Eshwarappa to resign. The police have submitted a B-report, absolving the former Minister of any wrongdoing.