I will contest from Shivamogga as an Independent and win: K’taka BJP rebel Eshwarappa

Bengaluru: Karnataka’s former Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader, KS Eshwarappa, has decided to contest as an Independent from Shivamogga Lok Sabha seat.

Eshwarappa announced his decision after he was unable to meet Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, in New Delhi on Wednesday and returned to Bengaluru on Thursday.

“I have Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lord Ram in my heart,” he stated, while speaking to reporters at Bengaluru International Airport.

Eshwarappa added that he went to New Delhi as HM Amit Shah had called him for a meeting.

“Not able to go against the senior leader, I had gone to New Delhi to meet HM Amit Shah. Otherwise, it would have been arrogance on my part. The trip to New Delhi showed that god is with me,” Eshwarappa maintained.

“HM Amit Shah did not meet me. His office told me he is unavailable. I assume that it is an indication from his side for me to go ahead with my decision to contest as an Independent candidate,” Eshwarappa stated.

“If Amit Shah had asked me to withdraw my candidature as an Independent candidate, I would have been compelled to withdraw. He must have spoken to other leaders about my candidature and the questions that I raised with him. He would have been convinced that my struggle is judicious,” Eshwarappa claimed.

“I will contest as an Independent candidate. The BJP is going to win all 28 seats except for Shivamogga parliamentary constituency. There I will be victorious as an Independent.

“If I do not support Prime Minister Modi I will feel worthless. After securing my victory from Shivamogga I will dedicate my win to Prime Minister Modi,” he stated.

Eshwarappa is miffed with the BJP’s decision to deny a ticket to his son KE Kanthesh to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Shivamogga.

Eshwarappa has also vowed to get BY Vijayendra removed from the post of Karnataka BJP chief. Both Vijayendra and Raghavendra are Yediyurappa's sons.

Eshwarappa is the senior-most BJP leader in the state who built the party from scratch in Karnataka along with Yediyurappa and others.