Rumblings of discontent have started surfacing in the B S Yeddyurappa government. Rural development and panchayat raj minister KS Eshwarappa, has approached the governor with a five-page letter against the chief minister’s alleged authoritarian manner, including interference in his department’s functioning.
He urged the governor to “advice the chief minister to adhere to the rules and regulations besides adopting policies of non-interference in the discharge of Constitutional responsibilities by the Cabinet colleagues.”
According to him, Yeddyurappa had sanctioned huge funds at the request of a few legislators ,bypassing the rural development minister. The allocations ran to over Rs 775 crore. This is not all, he added, while referring to another allocation of Rs 460 crore. Even though these were stayed by him, the minister said, his orders were superceded.
Despite raising objections, the finance department under the chief minister continued to sanction funds in the guise of “special grants.” These developments had embarrassed him no end, undermining his position in the eyes of the legislators and party workers.
He also added that he had kept Prime Minister Narendra Modi informed of the development in addition to Union home minister Amit Shah.
It pained him to bring to “your notice,” he told the governor “some of the recent actions of our chief minister relating to my department.” These amount to direct interference in the affairs of the minister in charge. This , he added, was in clear violation of Karnataka (Transaction of Business) Rules,1977, and also against established practices and procedures relating to the affairs of the state administration.
The minister said “it is highly unfortunate that the chief minister knowingly issued orders ,” ignoring him, as the minister in charge of the department concerned.
This apart, the minister has also written to Arun Singh, BJP’s national general secretary, in charge of Karnataka, highlighting these incidents, adding that the chief minister had failed to provide necessary funds for implementing the schemes which were announced in the budget for 2020-21.
Yet in the last few months, in the name of special grants,Rs 1.439 crore was sanctioned. This action, “of sanctioning such huge funds for the schemes, not included in the budget, will certainly affect the department’s plans for development or rural infrastructure,” the rural development minister claimed.