KS Eshwarappa, a former deputy chief minister of Karnataka, quit political politics on Thursday ahead of the upcoming state assembly polls and vowed to bring miffed leaders back who left the Bharatiya Janata Party to join Congress.
“I am not angry with the BJP. Those who have left have to be brought back. We’ve got to bring them back to the BJP, which is angry with our party and has joined Congress. Our candidate will win this seat. BJP will win over 140 seats in Karnataka,” Eshwarappa told the media. Various leaders of the BJP recently quit the party over being denied tickets for the polls and joined either the Congress or Janta Dal (secular). The latest to jump ship was Lingayat leader and former MLC Ayanur Manjunath, who left the party to join HD Kumaraswamy’s JD (S). He became the 10th legislator to quit the BJP ahead of the assembly polls in the state.
Eshwarappa also slammed Congress leader Siddaramaiah over his remarks on BJP chief JP Nadda and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Siddaramaiah does not know the specialties of Indian culture. It is India’s culture to seek blessings from those of whom we are proud,” Eshwarappa said.
Siddaramaiah had hit out at Nadda over his statement that “Karnataka should not be devoid of Modi Ji’s blessings” during an election rally in Shiggaon on Wednesday.
In a democracy, the people decide the fate of the candidates, and the elected representatives can serve them. Narendra Modi is not God and cannot bless anyone. I condemn the statement of @JPNadda about Narendra Modi’s blessings on Karnataka. It looks like he needs lessons in democracy. All states are equal and have the same rights according to the Constitution. There is no space for dictatorship in democracy,” he tweeted.