As Eshwarappa and Jarkiholi sulk, CM says he will resolve issue in consultion with Delhi

Bengaluru/Belagavi

While former Ministers K.S. Eshwarappa and Ramesh Jharkiholi have abstained from the ongoing Belagavi Legislature session, sulking over not being re-inducted into the Cabinet, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said that he has been in touch with both the BJP leaders and will resolve the issue.

Mr. Eshwarappa, who has been cleared in a case of abetment to suicide of a contractor, had announced that his non-attendance of session was a ‘mild protest’. Mr. Jharkiholi, accused in a rape case after alleged videos of him with a women emerged, is upset at not being re-inducted into the Cabinet despite being cleared of charges.

“I am in touch with both,” Mr. Bommai said, claiming that non participation of both leaders is not boycott. “They are right in their thinking that they must return to the Council of Ministers once they were cleared of all the charges,” he told reporters at Belagavi. The CM also said that their issue had been discussed during his recent visit to Delhi and they have also had a positive outlook.

Meanwhile, reiterating that he had received clean chit from allegations four months ago, Mr. Eshwarappa told presspersons in Bengaluru, “BJP state President Nalin Kumar Kateel, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa had said that the allegation was baseless and had promised to take me to Cabinet once I received a clean chit.” Mr. Eshwarappa, who said he had not contacted any national leader in this connection, also reminded his partymen of his contribution along with Mr. Yediyurappa and late H.N. Ananth Kumar, in hastening the party’s growth since 1990s.

“I have the right to protest but do not want to embarrass the party or government. That is why I have sought leave of absence from the legislative session and registered a mild protest. Mr. Bommai should take me and Mr. Jharkiholi to Cabinet along with anyone else that he may deem fit,” he said. He also indicated that the CM has not spoken to him directly yet, and that he would decide on attending the Belagavi session after speaking to him.

When asked why he was insisting on returning to Cabinet with just a few months remaining before elections, Mr. Eshwarappa said, “A large number of party workers are asking me why I am not back in the Cabinet and I do not have any answers. Also since I resigned on baseless charges and on promise of being inducted after a clean chit, I am asking for it.”