In Shivamogga, BJP rebel K S Eshwarappa claims his supporters are getting death threat calls

Senior BJP leader and former Karnataka deputy Chief Minister K S Eshwarappa, who has decided to contest Lok Sabha polls from Shivamogga as an independent candidate, on Tuesday claimed that his supporters are receiving death threat calls.

Speaking to rural booth-level workers at 'Shubha Mangala' convention in Shivamogga, he said, "They (supporters) called me and promised that they would back me in the Lok Sabha polls without fail. But they may not express their support to me in public. Despite knowing all this, many of you have come here. I must congratulate you."

He further said that even Congress supporters are extending support to him and promised to work for his victory in the Lok Sabha polls.

"We worked hard for BJP to win 108 seats in the assembly polls in Karnataka. BS Yediyurappa, D V Sadananda Gowda, Jagadish Shettar and Basaavraj Bommai served as chief ministers. But now, it has come down to 66 seats. But the workers are not responsible for the pathetic state in Karnataka," he said.

He said when he was asked to retire from electoral politics, he agreed with the words of the central leaders.

"I was the only to do it. But my son was also denied ticket for Lok Sabha polls. Is it my fault?", he questioned, adding that "I sincerely followed the words of national leaders."

Taking a dig at former Karnataka Chief Minister Yediyurappa, Eshwarappa said Yediyurappa had forced the then chief minister Basavaraj Bommai to induct his son B Y Vijayendra into the cabinet if Eshwarappa is reinducted into the cabinet.

"But Bommai told that Vijayendra is not even MLA and how he can be inducted into the cabinet. But for it, Yediyurappa told him to make his son minister and he can be made MLC later. This is why I was not reinducted into the cabinet," he explained.