Shivamogga has been the centre of hectic lobbying over the BJP ticket for the Haveri Lok Sabha seat. Supporters of former Minister K.S. Eshwarappa’s son, K.E. Kantesh, met former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Sunday and requested that he ensure their leader gets the ticket.
Mr. Yediyurappa told the supporters of Mr. Kantesh that he would ensure a ticket for him after consulting Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He also said if Eshwarappa travelled to Delhi with him, he would take him to Amit Shah and discuss the issue. Meanwhile, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi, who was in Shivamogga on Saturday, met Eshwarappa at the latter’s residence.
Mr. Eshwarappa, speaking to presspersons on Sunday, said Mr. Yediyurappa did call him over the phone and asked him to travel to Delhi along with him to meet Mr. Shah. “I told him (Yediyurappa) that I met Amit Shah recently on this issue. I just told him that if it would be enough if he (BSY) went and talked in support of Kantesh, it would be done. He (Yediyurappa) will travel to Delhi when the meeting is held to finalise the candidates,” he stated.
Rebel candidate
Meanwhile, there were reports from Mr. Eshwarappa’s camp that he would rebel against Mr. Yediyurappa if his son (Kantesh) was denied the party ticket in Haveri. He would contest for the Shivamogga Lok Sabha constituency as an independent candidate against B.Y. Raghavendra.
When asked if he would contest as an Independent in Shivamogga, Mr. Eshwarappa said, “I don’t think the situation has gone to that extent as of now. Let me see if such a situation arises,” he said.
Mr. Kantesh, who was once elected to Shivamogga ZP, has been building his network in Haveri for the last few months. Mr. Eshwarappa, on many occasions, openly said that Mr. Kantesh was an aspirant for the BJP ticket for Haveri. Both held several workers’ meetings in that constituency and visited religious institutions.
Mr. Kantesh and his supporters have been anxious after former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s name was suggested for the constituency. However, it is said that there are few chances of Mr. Kantesh getting the ticket.
