Eshwarappa softens stand, but firm on remarks against CM

In an interaction with reporters in Vidhana Soudha on Thursday, Eshwarappa said his outburst was not against Yeddyurappa’s style of functioning, but only on the ‘dilution’ of party’s policies and principles in some pockets in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls.

Eshwarappa, however, expressed his displeasure on the party entering into dynastic politics, particularly by fielding Yeddyurappa’s son B Y Raghavendra from Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency. He said, Yeddyurappa should have been a role model by giving a chance to a party worker.

“We have now lost the right to raise the issue of dynastic politics,” he said and claimed that his stand had received overwhelming support from the party workers.

On his outburst in Shimoga he said, “I had only sought a debate on the role played by liquor and money in the polls and wanted all parties to participate in the discussion. However my statement was given a political colour and distorted by a section of the media. I am ready to resign if it is proved that I had indicated that money and liquor power had helped the BJP bag 19 seats in the Lok Sabha polls.”

He said that there are no two opinions on the leadership of Yeddyurappa, but he is also a human being and has some faults. “I am sure he will rectify”, he said.

On B Y Raghavendra contesting from Shimoga LS constituency he said, “Shimoga has a very good party organisation and the ticket could have been given to a party worker. In Dakshina Kannada a grassroot party worker, Nalin Kumar Kateel, won due to the organisational strength. We had all along opposed the dynastic rule by the Congress and the JD(S), and now we have lost the right to discuss the issue. Lakhs of BJP workers also feel the same.”

He said, “the Party National President Rajnath Singh gave me a patient hearing. He called party State President D V Sadananda Gowda in my presence and told him not to issue any notice to me”, he added.