Former deputy CM and senior BJP leader K.S. Eshwarappa submitted his nomination papers as an indepdendent candidate in Shivamogga Lok Sabha constituency on April 12.“Today, I am filing my nominations. I have prayed at the temple for the welfare of the common people so that I win in the elections. People have given their blessings…I have to fight the elections as an Independent and win. That is my interest”, Eshwarappa said ahead of filing his nominations.
Speaking about his previous discussion held with the BJP high command in Delhi, the former Deputy Chief Minister said, “All negotiations are over. There will be a direct contest now…All leaders and workers are with me. People are also with me. If I win, I will go to PM Narendra Modi”. Speaking on the Prime Minister’s vision against dynasticism in political parties, Eshwarappa attacked PM Modi for fielding B S Yediyurappa’s son B Y Raghavendra, from Shimoga. “…PM Narendra Modi is saying that a party should not be in the hands of a family, but in Karnataka, B S Yediyurappa’s son is BJP state president and another son wants to contest as an MP. I am contesting against it”, Eshwarappa said.
Criticising the party over the exit of several leaders from the state BJP, Eshwarappa said, “Secondly, C T Ravi, Anantkumar Hegde, Nalin Kumar Kateel, Pratap Simha, all ‘Hindutvavadi’ leaders, have been thrown out. I am doing this so that ‘Hindutvavadi’ gets the place. Workers in Karnataka are angry with BJP leaders”Eshwarappa’s son K E Kantesh was seeking a ticket from the Haveri-Gadag Lok Sabha constituency, but was not given the ticket by the BJP high command. Kantesh said that his father’s decision to go against the party line is not against Prime Minister Narendra Modi or the high command, but against family politics and the Yediyurappa family.