Trouble in Karnataka BJP? Ex-Deputy CM Eshwarappa may field son as Independent

Senior BJP leader KS Eshwarappa is contemplating fielding his son, Kantesh, as an independent candidate in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections after the latter was not named in the party's second list, India Today reported on Thursday. The BJP announced its candidates for 20 of 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka on Wednesday. The party has replaced nine sitting MPs including former Chief Minister D V Sadanada Gowda from Bangalore North, Prathap Simha from Mysuru and former state BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel from Dakshina Kannada. 

Eshwarappa told India Today that BS Yediyurappa had promised that Kantesh will get the party's ticket for the Haveri seat.  Yediyurappa had also said that he would campaign to assure Kantesh's victory, added Eshwarappa. However, the BJP fielded former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai from the Haveri Lok Sabha constituency.

Eshwarappa said he will chair a meeting with his supporters on March 15 in Shivamogga where a final decision regarding his son's candidature will be made. He said he was contemplating fielding his son from either the Shivamogga or the Haveri seat. Yediyurappa's son, BY Raghavendra, who is also the incumbent MP from Shivamogga, is the BJP's choice for the seat.

Eshwarappa said he had not backed Yediyurappa when the latter launched the Karnataka Janata Party in 2013 and this may be a reason behind the denial of ticket to Kantesh. He accused Yediyurappa of "cornering sincere party workers" like him and BJP MPs Pratap Simha and Nalin Kateel, who were also dropped from the party's list.

Eshwarappa told India Today TV that "well-wishers" from Shivamogga, Haveri and from across the state called him, saying "Yediyurappa has caused us injustice". The BJP had denied a ticket to Kantesh from Shivamogga assembly constituency in the last Karnataka Assembly elections. 

BJP's candidate list for Karnataka 

Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje, who was facing some resistance for re-nomination within the party from Udupi-Chikmagalur, has been shifted to Bangalore North, which is currently represented by Sadananda Gowda. Kota Srinivas Poojary will now contest from Udupi-Chikmagalur. In Bellary, the party has fielded S T community leader and former Minister B Sriramulu. 

Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda's son-in-law Dr C N Manjunath has been fielded from Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha segment, where he will face sitting Congress MP and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's brother D K Suresh. Former Minister V Somonna has been given a ticket from Tumkur, which was represented by G S Basavaraj. In Davangere, sitting MP G M Siddeshwara has been replaced by his wife Gayathri Siddeshwara.