BJP expels KS Eshwarappa for 6 years over Independent candidacy in Shivamogga

Eshwarappa had previously declared his intention to run as an Independent candidate in the Shivamogga Lok Sabha seat after his son Kanthesh was denied a BJP ticket from the Haveri seat.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on April 22, expelled KS Eshwarappa for six years owing to his decision to contest the Shivamogga seat in Karnataka as an Independent candidate in the 18th Lok Sabha Elections.

Eshwarappa had previously declared his intention to run as an Independent candidate in the Shivamogga Lok Sabha constituency in Karnataka after his son Kanthesh was denied a BJP ticket from the Haveri seat.

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The former deputy chief minister, who has previously served as the party's state unit president, has now joined the electoral competition. He attributes the denial of a ticket for his son, KE Kantesh, to contest from Haveri to the state BJP president BY Vijayendra and his father, veteran party leader B S Yediyurappa.

In the expulsion order, state disciplinary committee president Lingaraj Patil stated, "Ignoring the party's directions, you are contesting as a rebel candidate from Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency, causing embarrassment to the party. This is a violation of party discipline."

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The statement further declared, "So, you have been relieved from all the responsibilities and have been expelled from the party for six years, with immediate effect." Despite efforts by party leaders to pacify him, the 75-year-old Eshwarappa remained steadfast in his decision to contest.

Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has been granted the BJP ticket for Haveri, while Vijayendra's brother and MP B Y Raghavendra is the BJP candidate from Shimoga.

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On April 12, Eshwarappa submitted his nomination papers as an independent candidate from Shivamogga.

The party's decision to expel the former Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council came on the last day for withdrawal of candidature for the second phase of Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka on May 7. Eshwarappa, along with Yediyurappa and the late H N Ananth Kumar, is widely credited for building the BJP from the grassroots in Karnataka.

Karnataka will go to polls in two phases on April 26 and May 7 and the results will be declared on June 4.

(With agency inputs)