Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Shivamogga to address a poll convention of the BJP on Monday has attracted political attention as party leader K.S. Eshwarappa, who has raised a banner of revolt against party veteran B. S. Yediyurappa by deciding to contest as an Independent against party candidate B.Y. Raghavendra, has turned down the invitation to attend Modi’s event.
BJP leaders, including party national general secretary and State poll in-charge Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, party State organising general secretary Rajesh G.V., former Minister Araga Jnanendra, and Ravikumar, MLC, met the former Deputy Chief Minister at his residence here on Sunday and tried to convince him to change his decision, besides formally inviting him to Mr. Modi’s poll convention.
But Mr. Eshwarappa is learnt to have not only stood his ground, but also refused to attend the public event.
It is believed that the some party leaders also assured Mr. Eshwarappa, who is upset over his son K. E. Kantesh missing out on party ticket from Haveri Lok Sabha constituency, of making his son an MLC.
“I want to make it clear that I am not contesting as an Independent just because my son was denied the ticket. My contest is only to help cleanse the party’s Karnataka unit which is not in tune with Mr. Modi’s vision. My fight is not against Mr. Modi, but to ensure that the party goes in the path of Modi’s vision. I will continue to support Mr. Modi after getting elected to Lok Sabha,” Mr. Eshwarappa told mediapersons.
Alleging that pro-Hindutva leaders, including himself, C.T. Ravi, and Prathap Simha were being sidelined in the party, Mr. Eshwarappa reiterated that his contest was to provide voice to party workers who were upset over such developments.
Alleging that the party State unit was under the stranglehold of Mr. Yediyurappa’s family, he remarked: “The party high command has faith in Mr. Yediyurappa. The top leaders of the party are under the impression that Mr. Yediyurappa is a tall leader and that he has the support of all Lingayats in the State. But it is not true,” he opined.
Further, he sarcastically remarked that Mr. Yediyurappa’s influence over the voters was proven when he quit the party and launched KJP, pointing out that only six candidates, including Mr. Yediyurappa had won as KJP candidates in the Assembly polls.
Not responsible
Meanwhile, Mr. Yediyurappa told mediapersons here that he was hopeful of Mr. Eshwarappa’s participation in the Prime Minister’s event and maintained that he was not responsible for denying ticket to Mr. Eshwarappa’s son.
The BJP leaders are expecting more than one lakh people for the Prime Minister’s convention being held at Allama Prabhu park in the heart of the city.
Mr. Modi is scheduled to reach the venue by 1.30 p.m. The police have made elaborate security arrangements for the programme. The district administration has declared roads that the PM’s convoy will take as zero-traffic roads on Monday. A few private schools have even declared a holiday for the day, in view of the restrictions on traffic movement in the city.
