Karnataka Congress Upbeat, Eshwarappa Case Perfect Pre-Poll Treat, Not Hijab Or Halal Meat

The Congress is smacking its lips in anticipation of assembly polls due in Karnataka next year, having secured the resignation of Rural Development Minister K S Eshwarappa over the unnatural death of civil contractor Santosh Patil. The Congress is also immensely relieved to shift the political battle from contentious issues, like the hijab and halal meat, to core issues of BJP mis-governance like corruption. BJP leaders, however, feel the Congress campaign will head nowhere and end like the sting CD on former minister Ramesh Jharkhioli in 2021. Minister Jharkhioli had also resigned but the probe has meandered ever since.  Karnataka BJP also charged that contractor Patil was originally a Congress worker, adding that he carried out works without required sanctions from the authorities. It alleged that the 40% commission scam was a ‘toolkit’ developed by the Congress. If this is true, then why did Eshwarappa, a prominent Kuruba face, offer to quit? It seems he had little choice as an FIR had been filed against him. The deceased contractor, who made the corruption allegations against the minister, had also marked it to the PM. Patil had been given oral instructions for a Rs 4-crore project in the rural parts of the State. Patil’s grievance was that he did not receive any payments for the job even 18 months after project completion. Eshwarappa’s pleads innocence and asks “How can payment be released without a work order?”