Senior BJP ministers and legislators came together this afternoon to support chief minister, B S Yeddyurappa, against charges of being an autocrat besides interfering in the functioning of ministries. The allegations were made by K S Eshwarappa, rural development and panchayat raj minister yesterday, in a fivepage letter to governor Vajubhai Vala. He urged the governor to advise Yeddyurappa to adhere to the rules and regulations while adopting a policy of non- interference . Predictably, this gave the much needed opportunity to the opposition Congress to demand the resignation of the chief minister, while accusing the Yeddyurappa government of being corrupt.
This perhaps was the cue for 34 legislators and a host of senior ministers to come out in support of Yeddyurappa, even though the chief minister refused to comment on the controversial matter.
Defending the CM, home minister Basvaraj Bommai, revenue minister R Ashoka, health minsiter K Sudhakar along with agriculture minister B C Patil, argued that Eshwarappa would have done well to discuss the matter with Yeddyurappa instead of going to the governor, in the event if he had any objections. Besides, as finance minister, the CM had the right to approve funds for the legislators.
The ministers said:“What the rural development minister has raised is an administrative matter that should be resolved internally. It was not appropriate to approach the governor.”