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KS Eshwarappa to resign tomorrow amid row over contractor’s suicide
The minister’s statements come two days after Santosh Patil, a right-wing leader and a contractor was found dead in an Udupi hotel, blaming the minister for his decision to take his own life.
Karnataka’s minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) KS Eshwarappa on Thursday said that he will step down from the cabinet on Friday after a contractor blamed him for his death before taking his own life. (HT PHOTO.)
Karnataka’s minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) KS Eshwarappa on Thursday said that he will step down from the cabinet on Friday after a contractor blamed him for his death before taking his own life. (HT PHOTO.)
Published on Apr 14, 2022 07:44 PM IST
BySharan Poovanna
Karnataka’s minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) KS Eshwarappa, on Thursday said that he will step down from the cabinet on Friday, claiming he does not want to “embarrass” the party and its leaders.

“Under the government led by Basavaraj Bommai, I have worked as RDPR minister till today. Today, I have made a decision that I will resign from the post of minister tomorrow (Friday),” Eshwarappa said on Thursday evening in Shivamogga, about 350 km from Bengaluru.

The minister’s statements come two days after Santosh Patil, a right-wing leader and a contractor was found dead in an Udupi hotel, blaming the minister for his decision to take his own life.

Santosh K Patil’s body was found on Tuesday morning. In a Whatsapp message on Monday night, which he shared with associates and some sections of the media, Patil had alleged that Eshwarappa is directly responsible for his death.

Patil had earlier also said that the minister was seeking 40% commission to make payments for a job undertaken by the former in February last year, adding to the piling corruption charges against the Bommai-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Karnataka.