Karnatakaa BJP leader Eshwarappa vows to contest Lok Sabha poll as Independent

Rebel BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, K.S. Eshwarappa, said on Wednesday night that he has not decided to withdraw his decision to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls as an Independent candidate.

Speaking to reporters here, Eshwarappa said, "I was not able to meet the Home Minister. Also, I have not decided to withdraw my decision to contest as an Independent candidate."

"The Home Minister had asked me to come to Delhi. That's why I came here. However, after reaching Delhi, I got a call from his office informing me that Amit Shah was not available for a meeting. This means there are no qualms with me consenting as an Independent candidate. This also means that B.Y. Raghavendra, the BJP candidate from Shivamogga, should get defeated."

Raghavendra is the son of former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa.

"The latest developments indicate that I should go ahead and contest the elections against Raghavendra. I will contest the elections against the BJP. And with the blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, I will win the polls," Eshwarappa claimed.

Eshwarappa is reportedly miffed with the party's decision to deny a ticket to his son K.E. Kanthesh to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Shivamogga. Earlier, the party had also denied a ticket to Eshwarappa to contest the Assembly polls in Karnataka held last year.

Eshwarappa has also vowed to get B.Y. Vijayendra removed from the post of state 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.

(With inputs from IANS)