Have no role in denial of ticket to Eshwarappa's son, says Yediyurappa

BJP parliamentary board member B S Yediyurappa said on Sunday that he was not responsible for K S Eshwarappa’s son K E Kantesh missing out on the ticket for Haveri-Gadag Lok Sabha seat and that the party’s central election committee distributed the ticket.

"Eshwarappa wrongly believes that I was responsible for his son being denied the ticket. He is hurt and making statements against me in anger. He (KSE) has played a vital role in building the party in the state. I am sure he will attend PM Modi’s public meeting in Shivamogga on Monday," Yediyurappa told reporters in Shivamogga.

He said efforts are on to pacify Eshwarappa. A few state leaders are in touch with him. Everything will be fine in the next few days.

The Modi show was a grand success in Kalaburagi. The BJP and its ally (JD-S) will win all 28 seats in the state. Post-Modi tour, I will begin campaigning for the party candidates, Yediyurappa said.

‘KSE will remain in party’

Meanwhile, Union minister Pralhad Joshi and former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai expressed confidence that party veteran Eshwarappa will be convinced to toe the party line and desist from entering the Shimoga poll fray as Independent candidate.

“Eshwarappa is angry over his son Kantesh being denied the party ticket to contest from the Haveri Lok Sabha seat. There is enough time for the Lok Sabha polls in the state and I am confident that the senior leader (KSE) will change his decision,” Joshi told reporters in Hubballi.

Speaking to reporters in Haveri, Bommai said, “The national leaders are in touch with Eshwarappa. They will convince Eshwarappa to remain in the party and campaign for the candidates. Even Yediyurappa is trying to pacify the senior party leader from Shivamogga.”

Reacting to BJP leader Ramesh Jarkiholi’s statement on the change of candidate in the Haveri parliamentary constituency, Bommai said, “Ramesh may be in touch with the top brass of the party. But, I do not know what he had said about the party nominee in the Haveri parliamentary constituency,” he added.