Former Minister K.S. Eshwarappa said he received an invitation to join the Jana Sena Party, an NDA ally founded by Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, but declined it, stating that he would not join any party other than the BJP.
Replying to a question at a press conference in Shivamogga on Wednesday, Mr. Eshwarappa said a representative of the Jana Sena Party met him and invited him to join. “It is also an ally of the NDA. He offered to make me the party’s in-charge in the State. Earlier, I had received invitations from Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party and some Congress leaders as well. However, I have made it clear that I will not join any party other than the BJP,” he said.
The former Minister said the BJP was the first party he joined and he had never thought of joining any other. “If I am unable to return to the BJP, I will contest the next elections as an independent and win. Once I win, the party will automatically take me back into its fold,” he maintained.
Mr. Eshwarappa said talks on his return to the BJP were still on. He recently held a meeting with leaders and workers in the city. “Many of my well-wishers said I should return to the BJP. However, they wanted me to get an assurance from the party leadership that I would get the chance to contest the coming Assembly elections on the party ticket. In any case, my contesting in the 2028 Assembly elections is final,” he said.
He made it clear that either he or his son K.E. Kantesh would contest the Assembly elections. “Who will be the candidate will be decided at the time of the elections, after taking the opinion of followers into consideration,” he added.
Leaders of Rashtrabhaktara Balaga were present at the press conference.
Mr. Eshwarappa, a five-time MLA and former Deputy Chief Minister, was expelled from the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections after he chose to contest against the party’s official candidate.
