A file photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeting K. S. Eshwarappa, BJP candidate for Shivamogga Assembly constituency, in Shivamogga on May 5, 2018.
| Photo Credit: VAIDYA
Former deputy chief minister and BJP leader K.S. Eshwarappa has filed a caveat in the Karnataka High Court to ensure no ex-parte order is passed if the Shivamogga district BJP moves court seeking an order restricting him from using the portrait of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Lok Sabha election campaign.
The former minister, who has raised a banner of revolt against the State unit of the BJP, moved the court as he received information that his rivals could move court with a plea to restrict him from using Mr. Modi’s photo.
Mr. Eshwarappa informed The Hindu over phone that he had filed the caveat in the High Court on April 5. “There is no restriction on using the Prime Minister’s photo in the campaign. However, anticipating that some people may object, I have filed a caveat,” he said.
Mr. Eshwarappa has been using Mr. Modi’s photo in the campaign since he announced his decision to contest as an Independent candidate against B.Y. Raghavendra in Shivamogga. Earlier, Mr. Raghavendra, incumbent MP who is contesting on the BJP ticket, had questioned the use of Me. Modi’s photos in Mr. Eshwarappa’s campaign.
He is planning to file his nomination as an independent candidate in Shivamogga after his son was denied the BJP ticket in Haveri Lok Sabha constituency.
Mr. Eshwarappa said, “He is the Prime Minister. He does not belong to any one person. Mr. Modi is in my heart.”
The senior leader has been miffed over the party ‘reneging’ on its promise of giving his son K.E. Kanthesh the Lok Sabha ticket from Haveri. He has held former CM B.S. Yediyurappa responsible for the turn of events. He has consistently maintained that his fight is against ‘one family rule’ in the State unit and not against the BJP or the national leaders.
He was recently summoned to Delhi by Union Home Minister Amit Shah for negotiations, but was denied a meeting after reaching the national capital.
