Shivamogga, 18 March

Amid a banner of revolt raised by senior BJP leader KS Eshwarappa, the party's State President BY Vijayendra on Monday expressed confidence about the issue getting resolved, and said it was natural for aspirants to get upset on not getting the ticket to contest elections.

Acknowledging Eshwarappa's contribution in building and strengthening the BJP in Karnataka, he said the candidates for Lok Sabha polls were decided by the national leadership of the party, and it was not his decision.

Eshwarappa has announced he will contest as an independent candidate from Shivamogga seat in the coming Lok Sabha polls, blaming Vijayendra and his father and veteran BJP leader BS Yediyurappa for his son KE Kantesh being denied a party ticket from Haveri constituency. Former CM Basavaraj Bommai has got BJP's Haveri ticket. Yediyurappa's son and sitting MP BY Raghavendra is the BJP candidate from Shivamogga. Eshwarappa, who is firm on contesting despite efforts by the party leaders to pacify him, has even decided to skip Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Shivamogga on Monday.

"Eshwarappa is a senior leader, at appropriate time, we will get answers to certain questions. I can just say at this moment that selection of candidates to any of the constituencies is not just decided by me as the state president and it is not possible, as ours is a national party. There is no question of our party deciding on candidates, just by listening to me, time will give answer to everything," Vijayendra said.

Asked about Eshwarapppa's contest, he expressed confidence that everything will be resolved. "I have information that a lot of misinformation might have fallen on his (Eshwarappa) ears." Stating that his brother Raghavendra has done good work as an MP, Vijayendra expressed confidence about his victory with a big margin.

Vijayendra was not appointed as the State President by Yediyurappa, he said, adding, the appointment was made by the party leadership; national President JP Nadda has already answered this question and there is no need to raise this issue again and again. Eshwarappa has alleged that the BJP in Karnataka is in the clutches of Yediyurappa, and has claimed that his fight was to "save the party" in the state on behalf of "hurt party workers".

Commenting on Eshwarappa's statement that several Hindutva leaders were being neglected by Yediyurappa and Vijayendra, the State BJP chief said, there are several Hindutva leaders in the BJP, and the party has the strength to take everything along. " We will do it."

None of these issues will influence the Lok Sabha elections, and by winning the maximum number of seats, the state unit will strengthen the hands of Narendra Modi, he said. "All leaders will work unitedly. I too did not get a ticket from Varuna in the past (ahead of 2018 Assembly polls). I abided by the leadership's decision...it is natural that aspirants will get upset when they don't get a ticket." He said Eshwarappa is a leader who has built the party and strengthened it, and everything will be fine.

To a question about reports that JD(S) state President HD Kumaraswamy is upset over seat sharing, Vijayendra said he was not aware about the seat sharing talks in Delhi. "Our leadership is constantly in touch with Kumaraswamy and everything will be resolved easily," he said.

Meanwhile, Eshwarappa who is visiting various mutts on Monday said he has got blessings from the pontiffs of maths of various communities, for the step that he has taken towards "protecting Dharma." "It has strengthened me.....with their (swamijis') blessings and the blessings of the people I will be victorious in the Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency and I will support Narendra Modi becoming Prime Minister," he said.