K.S. Eshwarappa to float ‘Krantiveera Brigade’ on February 4 to organise OBCs and Dalits in Karnataka

Mr. Eshwarappa has announced that the proposed brigade would stand by ‘any Hindu organisation or group’. Also, heads of various religious institutions and mutts would be part of the proposed brigade, which he claims would not have any political affiliation.

Former Minister K.S. Eshwarappa, who has been expelled from the BJP, is set to float ‘Krantiveera Brigade’ to organise OBCs and Dalits. It will be launched on February 4 at Basavana Bagewadi in Vijayapura district in Karnataka. He claims that several seers will attend the launch.

Mr. Eshwarappa, who was the OBC face of the BJP, had started a similar brigade when he was in the BJP. He had aborted the mission after the central leaders of the BJP advised him to drop it, reportedly at the instance of former chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa.

Mr. Eshwarappa has announced that the proposed brigade would stand by ‘any Hindu organisation or group’. Also, heads of various religious institutions and mutts would be part of the proposed brigade, which he claims would not have any political affiliation.

Mr. Eshwarappa told The Hindu that while he would be the convener of the brigade, among a few others including former minister Gulihatti Shekhar and OBC leader Mukudappa, his son Kanthesh would be the working president. Among other issues, the brigade would take up the cause of those who have received eviction notices from Waqf Board, he said.

When asked if he would consider rejoining the BJP if its leaders made such an offer to him, Mr. Eshwarappa said he would consider it if measures were taken to ‘cleanse’ the party – a demand he had raised while in the BJP. “The main reason for my expulsion from the BJP was my demand that the party should be cleansed by freeing it from the clutches of those trying to impose dynastic rule,” he said, in an obvious reference to veteran leader B. S. Yediyurappa.

Answering a question on whether he was extending support to the group of BJP rebels led by MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, which too is making a similar demand, Mr. Eshwarappa said that he had neither offered support to anyone in the BJP nor had he asked for support from those in the BJP for his brigade.