Eshwarappa has been steadfast in his decision to contest the elections, stating that he is “determined to strengthen [the hands of] Prime Minister Narendra Modi”. Despite his expulsion, Eshwarappa has not received any official communication from the party regarding his expulsion. He has expressed surprise at not being expelled sooner and has stated that he will not be deterred by the expulsion.
Eshwarappa’s decision to rebel against the BJP stems from his desire to secure a party ticket for his son, KE Kantesh, from Haveri constituency. When the ticket was denied, Eshwarappa openly criticized former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, accusing him of undermining his son’s political ambitions.
The BJP’s decision to expel Eshwarappa is in line with the 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 for the Lok Sabha elections 2024. Top leaders including Ramesh Verma and Harsh Vardhan have found themselves out of the BJP candidates’ list.
Eshwarappa is no stranger to controversies and may have been paving the way for his own expulsion with his provocative statements. In February 2023, an FIR was registered against Eshwarappa for his “shoot the traitors” 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.
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 also objected to the azaan, saying, “This is a headache wherever you go”. “Will Allah listen only if the prayers are given through loudspeakers,” he said.
However, Eshwarappa has justified his remarks, saying, “Exams are going on. Students who are writing the exams are disturbed when they listen to this [azaan].” He added, “…But someone has to voice the sentiments of the general public. This is not condemning a religion.”
