Corruption charges change Karnataka narrative in poll year
Caught in a cleft stick over allegations of corruption against its senior minister K S Eshwarappa, the BJP took the route of propriety: It asked him to resign, despite strong backing by the Karnataka state unit and the RSS. By doing so, it took the sting out of the opposition campaign against the government, and also distanced itself from corruption charges. More importantly, it kept the prime minister’s image intact in an election year. While the party cannot afford to do without its strong Kuruba leader in the battle for the Assembly next year, it will, no doubt, make all attempts to clear him of charges just in time for the polls.
Eshwarappa, the pro-Hindutva leader who has earned the reputation of stoking communal controversies and shooting off his mouth at regular intervals, has, by and large, remained unchecked. Even allegations of 40% commission by contractor Santosh Patil—one of the BJP’s own—had failed to spur the Basavaraj Bommai government into initiating a probe. Unable to get his payment released or evoke any promise of action despite approaching the BJP central leadership, Patil finally blamed Eshwarappa and his aides, and ended his life.
The suicide and the charges levelled by Patil’s family have changed the political narrative in Karnataka. A belligerent ruling party, which was creaming the benefits of a string of communal issues raked up by its fringe, has been pushed on to the backfoot. No doubt, this will give a thrust to the Congress, which appears to have suddenly revived itself and plunged into poll mode with a series of protests against rising prices and communal polarisation.
The Congress has grabbed the ‘40%’ catchword with glee, for the Siddaramaiah government was once labelled a ‘10% government’ by the PM. Eshwarappa appears to have willingly handed the opposition an unforgiving stick to beat the BJP with. The 73-year-old leader, a committed ABVP student leader and RSS activist who went on to hold ministerial portfolios in a career spanning more than three decades, had nursed ambitions of chief ministership too, but had to stay a step behind old friend and recent rival, Lingayat strongman B S Yediyurappa. Whether the incriminating suicide will push Eshwarappa into the political boondocks is debatable, but the BJP will do its best to avoid an albatross in a crucial election year.