SHIVAMOGGA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called senior BJP leader K S Eshwarappa, who has withdrawn electoral politics, and inquired about his wellbeing. The PM also hailed Eshwarappa’s dedication towards the party and assured him of the organisation’s support.
The two also spoke about the party’s prospects in Shivamogga and Eshwarappa exuded confidence that the BJP will win in the Assembly segment. “You and Yediyurappa have worked hard for the party and proved what it is to be a BJP worker”. To this, Eshwarappa replied that he was delighted that the PM himself had called up an ordinary worker and spoke to him.
Later, speaking to the media, Eshwarappa said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called him up on Friday morning and congratulated me. I was very surprised. The BJP national president J P Nadda, Karnataka election in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan and party national general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh had called me and asked me to step down from electoral politics and asked me to write a letter to that effect. As an ordinary party worker, I did what was asked of me. Though the party workers were angry, I managed to pacify them. Recently, when Jagadish Shettar quit the party, I was pained and wrote a letter to him”.
“After all this, many of my well-wishers called me to say that I did the right thing, but I don’t think what I did was anything special as I, as a disciplined and ordinary BJP worker, did what the party wanted of me. But taking note of this, the Prime Minister himself called me and appreciated me. This is an indication that the party’s encouragement and support. The PM has shown that even an ordinary worker of the BJP is appreciated. This has filled me with enthusiasm and I am thankful to PM Narendra Modi”, he added.
Just before the party announced its first list of candidates, Eshwarappa was asked to step aside from the electoral battle in a surprise move. It was then expected that the party may give the ticket to his son K E Kantesh, but the BJP picked another candidate for the Shimoga Assembly seat.