Ballari/Bengaluru: Expelled BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister K S Eshwarappa on Sunday strongly hinted at the possibility of returning to the Bharatiya Janata Party, declaring that “the BJP is my life” and ruling out any alliance with other political outfits.
Eshwarappa, who was suspended for six years in 2024 for defying the party’s diktat and contesting the Lok Sabha election as an independent from Shivamogga, said he may soon meet senior BJP leaders. His statement comes amid reports of support from a section of BJP workers from the Kuruba community.
“I don’t know the details, but I saw on TV that BJP workers from my community have demanded my return. Some spoke very kindly about me. I’m thinking of speaking with senior leaders, and I’ve heard that some are open to my return,” Eshwarappa told reporters.
Reiterating his loyalty, he said, “Where will I go if I leave the BJP? My life is in this party. Even if I die, I won’t leave the BJP or Hindutva.”
He also revealed that some ministers in the Congress-led Karnataka government had reached out to him with offers of positions for him and his son, K E Kantesh. Additionally, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav had extended an invitation, he said—but added that such alternatives were out of the question due to his ideological commitment.
The senior leader had earlier accused BJP state chief B Y Vijayendra and his father B S Yediyurappa of blocking his son’s electoral prospects, prompting his rebellion during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
However, BJP National General Secretary (Karnataka in-charge) Radha Mohan Das Agarwal recently ruled out any re-entry for expelled leaders, stating that the party had no place for “disobedient and undisciplined” members.
Eshwarappa’s latest comments have once again stirred speculation within Karnataka’s political corridors, as the state BJP grapples with internal rifts and opposition realignment ahead of the next electoral cycle.
