As corruption charges against Karnataka Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister KS Eshwarappa were leveled by BJP worker, contractor Santosh Patil, the Aam Admi Party (AAP) has sought his resignation.

At a news conference here on Tuesday, AAP office-bearer Rajiv Topannavar said Minister Eshwarappa has found misutilised his power. He gave the civil work orders orally to contractor Patil. Patil had allotted the works to subcontractors who have done work for Rs 4 crore. Contractor Patil has brought to the notice even Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating the minister was a demanding a commission of 40pc to release the bills.

He said BJP must ax Eshwarappa from the ministry and the allegations against him are investigated by CBI, he said.

He also said the works done and being undertaken are substandard and private APMC was established with the support of a BJP MLA from the district.

In a complaint to Modi, Contractor team leader Santosh Patil who is also a secretary of Belagavi Hindu Vahini organization said that ” Karnataka Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister KS Eshwarappa had orally allotted him 108 small civil works in Hindalaga Gram Panchayat limits in Feb 2021. The works costing Rs 4 crore were completed and submitted to the Panchayat Raj department. The concerned departments didn’t give them work orders and we carried out the oral order of minister Eshwarappa. Now, minister Eshwarappa demanded 40% as his commission to clear the bill. Believing the minister I had sub-contracted the works to dozens whom I know. We completed the work by borrowing the loan for interest. Despite brought to state BJP functionaries, our problem was not settled, please help us to get my bills, ” he requested the prime minister and also the Union Panchayat Raj Minister Giriraj Singh.