Glad you called... Eshwarappa tells Modi, says BJP will win Karnataka elections 2023

The Modi's phone call comes amid speculations that senior leader KS Eshwarappa may rebel since his son Kantesh did not get the ticket he aspired in the final and last list of BJP released on Thursday.

Shivamogga: Day after his son's candidature was denied by the saffron party, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Deputy Chief Minister KS Eshwarappa received a surprise call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who hailed the gratitude and dedication of the Karnataka leader to retire from electoral politics.

The Modi's call landed at 9.05 am in the morning. During the conversation, Modi expressed satisfaction with Eshwarappa and the latter reciprocated it with saying "glad you called." In a video where Eshwarappa is seen speaking on speaker mode with Modi over phone, the veteran BJP leader is seen saying, “Everyone is glad that you have called. We are going to win. There is no problem”. It was also seen the Prime Minister thanking him for following the party decision.

The PM applauded Eshwarappa's decision to retire and stated that it would set an example for others to follow. Eshwarappa, in turn, humbly requested Modi's blessings. Modi's call to Eshwarappa has sparked speculation that the senior leader may be given a high command responsibility or a higher position in the party. While Eshwarappa spoke to Modi, his son and daughter-in-law listened intently to the conversation.

In response to rumours of internal conflict within the party following his son's denial of a ticket, Eshwarappa denied any such conflict and clarified that he was not angry with the BJP. Instead, he directed his anger towards those who left the party to join rival parties, stating that their return was necessary to strengthen the BJP's position.

Eshwarappa also expressed confidence that the BJP would win and form the government with an absolute majority. He had recently announced his retirement from electoral politics and requested that the party not consider fielding him in the upcoming assembly polls from Shivamogga, but instead sought a ticket for his son KE Kantesh.

Although his request was denied, the party's candidate from Hubli-Dharwad Central Assembly constituency, Mahesh Tenginkai, assured the party cadres that Eshwarappa was not angry and was a great leader who would always support the BJP.

It is worth noting that Eshwarappa resigned as a minister last year after being accused of abetting suicide in the contractor Santhosh Patil death case wherein the deceased has charged the then minister charged a 40 per cent commission. A probe panel formed afterwards gave the five-time MLA a clean chit.