MYSURU: “I am not a postman, neither are other ministers, to just stamp the approvals. It is the prerogative of a minister to spend the funds allocated to his department in the budget. I am a loyal party man and I cannot be a mute spectator to what was happening in my department,” said Rural Development and Panchayatraj Minister KS Eshwarappa’s on Friday, defending his recent letter to Governor Vajubhai Vala, complaining about CM Yediyurappa’s interference and authoritarian functioning.
He said, “With the backing of Sangh and party top leadership, I am confident that there would be a positive outcome and lapses in the Chief Minister’s Office would be set right. The issue will be resolved after the Assembly election results on May 2.”
Though the CM has every right to sanction funds, it should be as per the rules and procedures of Karnataka Transactions Business Rules, 1977. The CMO released Rs 1,299 crore to the RDPR department but insisted on allocating Rs 65 crore to Bengaluru Zilla Panchayat in violation of rules. Instead of releasing funds directly to MLAs, the chief minister should have directed the RDPR Department to allocate funds for the works based on the action plan, he added.
“I wrote a letter to the CM, party Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel and BJP general secretary C T Ravi. As per their advice, I stopped the release of funds from the RDPR Department,” he said.Claiming that the Finance Department had admitted to lapses in direct release of funds, he said officials assured him it would not happen again. Eshwarappa said he has merely pointed to procedural lapses and not rebelled against Yediyurappa’s leadership.
Asked whether the CMO interfered with the functioning of other ministries too, he said he only wanted funds to be released as per rules. “If it is not addressed now, it will further worsen. Unfortunately, it has been dubbed as a tussle between Yediyurappa and me,” he said.Asked if his controversial letter would affect the party’s prospects in the ensuing bypolls, he said it is a procedural issue and will not have any impact on the by-elections.