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Expelled BJP leader K.S. Eshwarappa along with his family cast vote in Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency on Tuesday.
The rebel BJP leader Eshwarappa is contesting as an independent candidate from the Shimoga Lok Sabha. The veteran leader has represented the Shimoga assembly five times. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expelled KS Eshwarappa from the party after the leader decided to contest Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate from Karnataka's Shivamogga. Eshwarappa was unhappy over his son being denied a Lok Sabha ticket from Haveri seat and blamed Karnataka BJP President Vijayendra and his father the veteran BS Yediyurappa for his son KE Kantesh being denied the ticket. Eshwarappa has alleged that former Karnataka Chief Minister Yediyurappa, who wields significant influence in Karnataka BJP politics, is attempting to pave the way for his son to become the next Chief Minister by disregarding other leaders in the state. Eshwarappa while speaking to ANI earlier, said, "Karnataka BJP and the national BJP are running in two different directions. In Karnataka, the BJP is under the control of a particular group. I aim to liberate the Karnataka BJP from their influence, which is why I'm contesting here. Leaders like Atal Bihar Vajpayee, L.K. Advani, and Prime Minister Modi have made significant sacrifices for Hindutva. However, in Karnataka, it appears that Hindu BJP leaders are being sidelined." "CT Ravi, Pratap Simha, everyone is being sidelined. Yediyurappa is the central leader, one of his sons is an MP, one is MLA, to make his son the next CM, he is sidelining all other BJP leaders", Eshwarappa claimed. In a veiled attack aimed at Eshwarappa, who is running as an independent candidate in Shimoga, Raghavendra, who is contesting against him in Shimoga said that the electoral contest is primarily between two parties rather than 'independent' candidates. "We have taken these elections very seriously, and the fight is between two national parties, it is not a question of 10-12 independent candidates," Raghavendra said. The Shimoga Lok Sabha seat is set to witness a triangular contest between Former Chief Minister Yediyurappa's son and incumbent MP from Shimoga BY Raghavendra, Congress candidate Geetha Shivarajkumar and independent candidate Eshwarappa. (ANI)
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