NEW DELHI: Former Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader K S Eshwarappa returned empty-handed after he failed to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday. Eshwarappa, who has rebelled against the state party leadership, then returned to Shivamogga.
After this, Eshwarappa reiterated that he is going to contest against former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa’s son and incumbent MP, B Y Raghavendra, in Shivamogga as he had announced earlier. He said, “No more talks and I will take this fight to a logical end and contest from Shivamogga”.
Putting up a condition, he said state BJP president B Y Vijayendra must be removed from post and only then will he agree to withdraw his decision not to contest in Shivamogga. Attacking B S Yediyurappa and family, he said, “One family holding powers of state BJP is hurting the sentiments of Hindu karyakarthas and BJP workers”.
Earlier, ahead of the seeking the meeting with Amit Shah, Eshwarappa had made it clear that he will not change his decision to contest the election unless the state BJP president B Y Vijayendra, son of former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, is replaced before the polls.
Eshwarappa said his fight is against the control of the BJP in the state “by one family”. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi used to say that Congress has a family culture. Similarly, the BJP is in the hands of one family in the state. The party should be freed from that family. Party workers are hurt. I will compete and contest to relieve the pain of workers”, he said.
He said the work of those who fought for Hindutva ideology and the organization should be respected. “I’m contesting to fix the mess. I will not step back from the decision, I will pay my respects to you and come to Delhi”, the BJP leader said. Eshwarappa said his son had told him that even if he does not get a political future, “the party should be cleansed”.
Voting for Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka will be held in two phases on April 26 and May 7 for 28 constituencies. Shivamogga will go to the polls on May 7. (ANI)