'Going to meet iron man of India': Eshwarappa says ahead of his meeting in Delhi with Amit Shah

Bengaluru: Senior Karnataka BJP leader K.S. Eshwarappa who has rebelled against his own party by announcing his intent to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from Shivamogga constituency as an Independent candidate, said on Wednesday that he is going to meet the 'iron man' of India, ahead of his meeting in Delhi with Home Minister Amit Shah.

Eshwarappa, earlier on Wednesday, said: "I am reaching Delhi by 7.45 p.m. I will meet the high-command leaders and convey my opinion. I will not step back from the contest for no reason."

HM Shah had made a phone call to Eshwarappa and invited him to Delhi for a meeting during the former BJP president's trip to Bengaluru on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters at Shivamogga airport, Eshwarappa said: "The Home Minister (Amit Shah) of this country, known as an iron man after Sardar Patel, had invited me to Delhi.

"Respecting his words, I am going to Delhi. When I started, my supporters told me that when I return, they would be ready with 500 motorcycles and a garland. We would start our campaigning," the senior BJP leader said.

Eshwarappa, however, said that he does not know "what is in Amit Shah's mind".

"I have explained to him about the issues when he was in Bengaluru already, and I will again explain everything during my meeting with him," he said.

Eshwarappa has announced that he would contest as an Independent candidate from the Shivamogga MP Seat. He was miffed over the party's denial of a ticket to his son K.E. Kanthesh to contest Lok Sabha polls.

The party had denied him a ticket to Eshwarappa to contest assembly polls earlier.

Eshwarappa has lashed out at former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa over denial of ticket to son Kanthesh.

He has also vowed to "bring down" B.Y. Vijayendra (Yediyurappa's son) from the post of president of BJP's Karnataka unit.

B.Y. Raghavendra, another son of Yediyurappa, is the BJP candidate from Shivamogga.

Yediyurappa, on his part, said that just because his son was not given the ticket, Eshwarappa cannot make such allegations and the final call will be taken in this regard by the party's high command.

The Congress has fielded Geetha Shivarajkumar, sister of Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa against B.Y. Raghavendra. Geetha is the daughter of former chief minister S. Bangarappa and the wife of Kannada superstar Shivaraj Kumar.

According to political observers, a close contest is expected between the BJP and the Congress. Besides, Eshwarappa contesting as an Independent candidate is also likely to have an impact on the BJP's poll prospects in Shivamogga.