‘BSY cheated us’: Eshwarappa after son denied ticket by BJP
Discontent brews in Karnataka BJP over ticket distribution for Lok Sabha elections, with leaders feeling overlooked in the candidate selection process.
Bengaluru: Disquiet has been bubbling up in Karnataka’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the party released its second list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, announcing 20 out of 28 candidates from Karnataka, said party leaders on Thursday.
The ticket aspirants have alleged that they were overlooked.
Former deputy chief minister KS Eshwarappa, who was seeking a ticket for his son KE Kantesh said, his supporters are asking him to contest the election as an Independent against the BJP.
Speaking to reporters in Shivamogga on Thursday evening, Eshwarappa expressed his disappointment, saying that BS Yediyurappa has shown great concern for Shobha Kharandjale, even having the capacity to change her constituency from Udupi-Chikkamagaluru to Bengaluru North. However, he did not exhibit the same interest in ensuring that Kantesh received a ticket to contest from Haveri-Gadag.
A Vokkaliga leader Karandlaje was moved to the Bengaluru North constituency where the second largest community in the state has a large population.
“Yediyurappa promised KE Kantesh will get the BJP ticket from Haveri. Taking him at his word, Kantesh was directing his efforts on Haveri, trying to win the trust of people. However, my son was eventually denied a ticket. Yediyurappa cheated us,” he said.
“The party unit in Karnataka is in the hands of a family. There is a call within to protect the party from the family. Aren’t there any other Lingayat leaders in Karnataka? Yediyurappa ensured tickets for Shobha Karandlaje and Basavaraj Bommai. Why then was my son Kantesh ignored? This is a grave injustice,” the senior BJP leader said.
“I have served the party faithfully for 40 years. CT Ravi, Sadananda Gowda, Nalin Kumar Kateel and Pratap Simha have also come out in my support, saying it was unfair,” Eshwarappa claimed.
He alleged that Yediyurappa deliberately gave Haveri ticket to Bommai. The constituency is currently represented by BJP’s Shivkumar Udasi.
“Bommai said at the election committee meeting that he wasn’t keeping well and wouldn’t contest the Lok Sabha elections. Bommai said the Haveri ticket should go to Kantesh. Despite expressing his unwillingness to contest the polls, he was put on the ticket. Yediyurappa deliberately gave Bommai the ticket for Haveri. Yediyurappa’s decision is unfair for party loyalists,” he said.
Saying that his supporters were urging him to contest the elections from Shivamogga, Eshwarappa said, “They (his supporters) are saying that if you contest (Shivamogga), you will win. Also, I want Modi to be PM again.”
On Eshwarappa’s disappointment over the denial of Haveri ticket to his son, Bommai earlier said, “I had urged the parliamentary board to give a ticket to KE Kantesh to ensure social justice but the national leaders picked me, instead, to ensure the party’s victory from the seat. Eshwarappa is a very senior and valued party colleague and he would be given the respect that he deserves.”
Yediyurappa’s son and sitting MP BY Raghavendra maintained that the party leaders would reach out to him.
“Eshwarappa is upset. Anyone in his place would be hurt. It is normal to feel pain in such cases. I don’t know why they (Eshwarappa and his son) didn’t get the tickets. However, I have no clue why he accused BS Yediyurappa. It seems he holds a wrong opinion about my father. I am sure that party seniors would reach out to him and sort out the matter,” Raghavendra said.
Former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, who had hopes of securing a ticket from Haveri or Dharwad Lok Sabha constituency also expressed his disappointment as his name did not appear in the list. Shettar rejoined the BJP in January after leaving the Congress. His supporters claim that he was promised a Lok Sabha ticket for the 2024 elections.
Union parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi was chosen to contest from Dharwad on Wednesday.
Reacting to the situation, Union minister for coal and mines Pralhad Joshi said, “Shettar has indicated his name is in contention for the Belagavi constituency. I am aware of this. He is a senior leader, and I would be pleased if he secures the ticket.”
The BJP has deferred the announcement of five candidates from Chitradurga, Belagavi, Uttara Kannada, Chikkaballapur, and Raichur parliamentary constituencies.
