‘They have already sidelined Hindutva leaders… The high command blindly trusts whatever Yediyurappa, sons say’: K S Eshwarappa

Karnataka’s Shivamogga is normally considered a safe seat for the BJP, as it is the home turf of senior leader B S Yediyurappa. But this poll season, it is facing a ferocious turf war. K S Eshwarappa, a former colleague of the Chief Minister, and ex-Cabinet colleague — their association goes back four decades — has rebelled. He is contesting as an Independent after his son was denied a ticket, which went to Yediyurappa’s son and sitting BJP MP B Y Raghavendra.

Eshwarappa, who was recently expelled from the BJP for six years, speaks to The Indian Express and says his fight is “to end the dynastic politics in the Karnataka BJP”. Excerpts:

The BJP in Karnataka is now following the Congress culture. Though Prime Minister Narendra Modi is against family politics, in Karnataka, the party is facing problems because of a father and his sons (Yediyurappa and sons Raghavendra and B Y Vijayendra, who is an MLA and state BJP president). I agreed not to contest in the Assembly elections after Yediyurappa promised that my son would get a ticket from the Haveri Lok Sabha constituency. But he betrayed us.

They have already sidelined Hindutva leaders like C T Ravi and Pratap Simha. The high command blindly trusts whatever Yediyurappa says. These are the people behind the 2023 Assembly poll loss.

No, the rule in the party is that one family has one ticket. I am not an MLA, nor was I contesting any elections. Only my son was supposed to contest. I wouldn’t have asked for a ticket if I was an MLA or a minister.

I discussed it with my son and told him that his political career might be at stake too, because of my decision to contest as an Independent. He told me that he will support me to protect the interest of the party and nation.

Only