Bharatiya Janata Party’s Karnataka unit president BY Vijayendra on Sunday appealed to senior leader KS Eshwarappa, urging him not to contest from Shivamogga against his brother and sitting MP BY Raghavendra.

“Eshwarappa is a senior leader. I appeal to you that your contribution in building the party along with Yediyurappa and former Union Minister late Ananth Kumar is immense,” Vijayendra was quoted by PTI as saying.

“When the entire country is hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, please keep aside your grouse and join hands for strengthening the party,” the BJP leader said.

Both Vijayendra and Raghavendra are sons of former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa.

Asserting that Raghavendra will win by a margin of at least two lakh votes, Vijayendra added,”On behalf of our party workers I am praying to you. There is always a possibility to find a solution to every problem. If you have any grievances, then meet our Delhi leaders and solve your problem. We are with you and we too want you to be with our BJP workers.”

Vijayendra declined to comment on Eshwarappa using Modi’s photographs during his election campaign but said he would speak to him as well as the BJP central leaders.

“I want Eshwarappa to support Raghavendra,” he added, while refusing to comment on the veteran leader using Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s photographs during his election campaign.

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Eshwarappa responds to Vijayendra

Responding to Vijayendra, Eshwarappa said,”If he is so confident that Eshwarappa will talk to BJP central leaders in Delhi and if you want me not to contest the election then resign from the BJP state president post.”

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“Just one family is controlling all the key posts. Why do you want me to talk to Delhi leaders?” he was quoted by PTI as saying.

Eshwarappa is upset after the BJP denied ticket to his son Kantesh from Haveri. The party has fielded former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai from this constituency.

He had blamed Yediyurappa for his son not getting ticket, accusing the veteran leader of ‘betrayal’.

(With PTI inputs)