The sweeping changes in the BJP’s Karnataka list have sparked disgruntlement with veteran leader and former state president K.S. Eshwarappa claiming that his supporters were forcing him to contest as an
Independent against B.S. Yediyurappa’s son B.Y. Raghavendra in Shimoga.

The OBC face of the BJP in Karnataka, Eshwarappa had sought the Haveri Lok Sabha ticket for his son K.E. Kantesh. But the party chose former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, who is already an MLA.

Eshwarappa accused Lingayat strongman Yediyurappa of “betraying” him after promising the Haveri ticket
for Kantesh.

“Yediyurappa had not only promised to give the Haveri ticket to my son but assured me that he would ensure his (Kantesh’s) victory. But he betrayed me,” Eshwarappa told reporters in Shimoga late on Wednesday, hours after the party released the first list of 20 candidates (of the 28 seats) for Karnataka.

“Everyone who calls me is asking me to contest (as an Independent) to save the party. They say the party (in Karnataka) is now in the hands of one family,” Eshwarappa said, alluding to how Yediyurappa and his sons control the state BJP unit.

Eshwarappa, who belongs to the backward Kuruba (shepherd) community, is waiting to meet his supporters on Friday to take a call on his future course of action.

Eshwarappa’s grouse is that Yediyurappa managed to get tickets for his loyalists including central minister Shobha Karandlaje, apart from
his son Raghavendra.

They are among the 11 MPs who figured in the first list of 20 candidates released
on Wednesday.

“My supporters say that only when I contest and win would the central leaders realise why such a dedicated party worker was forced to stand as an Independent,”
Eshwarappa said.