Was rebellious Eshwarappa setting grounds for his expulsion from BJP for years?

In letter to Eshwarappa, the BJP state disciplinary committee president, Lingaraj Patil, said, “Ignoring the orders of the party, you are contesting as a rebel candidate from Shivamogga Lok Sabha constituency, causing embarrassment to the party. This is violation of party discipline…so, you have been relieved from all the responsibilities and have been expelled from the party for six years, with immediate effect.”

Even though he has been expelled from the saffron party, Eshwarappa has remained steadfast on his decision to contest and to “strengthen [the hands of] Prime Minister Narendra Modi”. On his reported expulsion from the BJP for six years, Eshwarappa says: “I have not received any communication from the party regarding my expulsion. The fact is that I was wondering why I was not expelled yet. I will not be scared of expulsion. My contesting is clear, winning from Shivamogga is clear.”

WHY DID ESHWARAPPA REBEL?

Eshwarappa was seeking a party ticket for his son, KE Kantesh, from Haveri constituency. When the ticket was denied, Eshwarappa openly rebelled against former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, accusing him of undermining his son’s political ambitions. Miffed over it, Eshwarappa announced his candidature from Shivamogga against Yediyurappa’s son.

The BJP’s decision to expel the Karnataka firebrand leader comes in line with the saffron party’s recent approach of refraining from nominating individuals embroiled in controversies. Apart from fielding new faces, the BJP has also excluded several senior leaders from its candidates’ list. Top leaders including  Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, Meenakshi Lekhi, Ramesh Bidhuri, Ramesh Verma and Harsh Vardhan have found themselves out of the BJP candidates’ list for Lok Sabha elections 2024.

And Eshwarappa is no stranger to controversies and may have been paving the way for his own expulsion with his provocative statements.

‘SHOOT THE TRAITORS’

In February 2024, an FIR was registered against Eshwarappa for his “shoot the traitors-D K Suresh and Vinay Kulkarni” remark. “I want to appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring a law to shoot the two traitors – DK Suresh and Vinay Kulkarni, who want South India to be a separate country,” he said.

‘VACATE MOSQUES’

In January this year, Eshwarappa ignited a controversy by suggesting that Muslims should vacate mosques which, he claimed, were constructed on temple lands. Eshwarappa said, “Two more places, including Mathura, are in consideration. Once the court verdict is delivered, be it today or tomorrow, we will proceed with the construction of temples.”

“For those areas where mosques have been constructed, it would be advantageous if you (Muslims) voluntarily vacate. Otherwise, the repercussions, including how many will be killed and what all would happen, we don’t know,” India Today quoted him as saying.

ESHWARAPPA’S OBJECTION TO AZAAN

While addressing a gathering in Mangaluru’s Kavoor during the BJP’s Vijay Sankalp Yatra, Eshwarappa paused during the azaan but then went on to say: “This is a headache wherever you go”. “Will Allah listen only if the prayers are given through loudspeakers,” he said, stirring a controversy.

Justifying his remark, the Karnataka leader said, “Exams are going on. Students who are writing the exams are disturbed when they listen to this [azaan],”  adding, “…But someone has to voice the sentiments of the general public. This is not condemning a religion.”

Milestone Alert!
Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world 🌏 Click here to know more.

Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it’s all here, just a click away! Login Now!

Published: 23 Apr 2024, 03:17 PM IST