BJP insurgent and former Karnataka Minister Okay S Eshwarappa. (PTI/File)
Pals-turned-foes BS Yediyurappa and KS Eshwarappa had been as soon as seen as inseparable and even earned the title of “Rama and Lakshmana”.
Shivamogga is witnessing a battle between friends-turned-foes with Bharatiya Janata Social gathering (BJP) insurgent KS Eshwarappa combating as an Impartial candidate in Lok Sabha Elections 2024. Outdated timers in Shivamogga keep in mind the times when former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa and KS Eshwarappa collectively rode the identical battered scooter everywhere in the metropolis within the late Seventies and early Eighties. Two RSS staff, who had been struggling to search out their ft in politics had been shut associates. Their inseparable relationship even earned them the title of “Rama and Lakshmana”.
Other than the RSS ideology, they’d many extra issues in frequent. Each of them had been from poor households, they had been self-made and had a zeal to make it massive in politics. Among the many two, Yediyurappa had a much bigger stature due to his management qualities and Lingayat religion. Eshwarappa was confined solely to Shimoga metropolis with no following outdoors and that has not modified even at the moment.
In 1983, Yediyurappa made his debut within the Karnataka Meeting on a BJP ticket. In the identical yr, Eshwarappa was additionally elected to the Shimoga municipality on the identical celebration’s ticket. Their political journey has taken them to the zenith of energy each in celebration and authorities over the previous 40 years.
By submitting a nomination towards Yediyurappa’s son and BJP candidate BY Raghavendra, Eshwarappa appears to have ended the previous bond. Livid over denial of ticket to his son KE Kanthesh from neighbouring Haveri, Eshwarappa has launched an all-out assault on Yediyurappa, his son and Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra, holding them chargeable for the “injustice” meted out to him.
Variations between Eshwarappa and Yediyurappa usually are not new. When Yediyurappa had briefly walked out of the BJP to type his personal political outfit Karnataka Janatha Social gathering or KJP in 2012, then deputy CM Eshwarappa had refused to go together with him calling him a “traitor”. He had even opposed Yediyurappa’s return to BJP nearer to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. As we speak, he himself has nearly give up the BJP vowing to decimate the BSY household in Shivamogga district politics.
Eshwarappa’s day by day dose of abuses have rattled Yediyurappa. He by no means anticipated this type of an open revolt by Eshwarappa who was compelled to retire from electoral politics within the current Meeting elections. Yediyurappa was below the impression that Eshwarappa would keep silent, conserving his son’s political future in thoughts, however he has gone after him levelling one or the opposite allegation towards him.
Those that perceive Shimoga politics know that it will likely be troublesome for Eshwarappa to separate a big chunk of BJP votes. In contrast to Yediyurappa, Eshwarappa doesn’t have a mass following throughout castes. In the meantime, Yediyurappa has the blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Eshwarappa is harping on Hindutva, positioning himself because the custodian of Hindutva model of politics in Karnataka. Some hardcore Hindutva parts within the BJP have sided with him, inflicting a minor tremor within the Yediyurappa camp.
Nevertheless, a big part of the celebration staff and leaders are nonetheless with Yediyurappa. A few of Eshwarappa backers count on him to remove a lakh votes from the BJP, inflicting the defeat. Others disagree with this principle. They really feel that he might not get greater than 50,000 votes and at greatest he can cut back the margin of BJP’s victory.
The ruling Congress, which is cautiously and keenly watching the unfolding developments within the BJP, is enjoying it secure describing it as “drama”.
The Congress has fielded late CM S Bangarappa’s daughter Geetha Shivarajkumar. Her youthful brother Madhu Bangarappa is Major and Secondary Schooling minister within the Siddaramaiah authorities within the state. Madhu and Geetha’s husband, cinema star Shivaraj Kumar, are main the marketing campaign hoping a realignment of caste dynamics will assist her sail by means of this time.
In 1991, Yediyurappa had misplaced to Bangarappa’s relative KG Shivappa in Shivamogga. Nineteen years later, Yediyurappa’s son Raghavendra humbled sitting MP Bangarappa in his maiden election in 2009. In 2014, Geetha, who had contested on JDS ticket, completed third towards Yediyurappa.
The Congress is anticipating a consolidation of backward courses, minorities and SC/STs votes towards BJP. The identical technique had labored earlier for them throughout Bangarappa’s time.
The BJP is banking on Modi and Yediyurappa’s private clout.
Although Eshwarappa is respiration fireplace each hour, already declaring his “victory”, he additionally is aware of that even wrecking the probabilities of BJP is an uphill process.
Voting for the Shivamogga Lok Sabha constituency will happen on Could 7 whereas the counting of votes will happen on June 4.
