The public tweet by leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj opposing re-entry of Bellary strongman and close confidant of Gali Janardhana Reddy, B Sriramulu has evoked mixed response from the State BJP which finds it necessary to bring them back to party fold ahead of crucial elections.
Even though many in the State party feel they were concerned about the opposition to the merger of the BSR Congress led by its strong ST leader Sriramulu with the BJP, they find it tactical to bring them back to the party fold to consolidate and take on strong Congress in the State. A close source in the BJP told The Pioneer that some of the State leaders have decided to speak to Sushma Swaraj and apprise her of the political situation in the State. They also feel it is politically correct to merge the BSR Congress with the BJP to strengthen Modi in the ensuing elections.
He said" we are concerned about her opposition. But political reality is entirely different. Ramulu belongs to ST and can be a candidate from Bellary to take on the Congress. We need his support to fight congress in three districts. There are no cases against him."
Sushma Swaraj's objection comes a day after Sriramulu himself announced his plan to rejoin the BJP.
In its image building exercise to take on Congress led by chief minister Siddaramaiah, the BJP in Karnataka is trying all possible ways and also bringing its leaders back. BSR Congress party's merger plans after the merger of KGP of lingayat strongman Yeddyurappa was very much anticipated and after the opposition by Sushma Swaraj, the state BJP in a spot but wants to go ahead with the merger.
Sriramulu, who belongs to the Scheduled Tribe Nayaka community, wields considerable influence in Bellary, Koppal, Raichur, Gadag and Chitradurga districts and senior BJP leaders, including B S Yeddyurappa, feel his return to the party brings huge dividends. According to sources Sriramulu does not face corruption charges and has not been indicted by the loyayukta report that led to the exit of Yeddyurappa as chief minister after a protracted power struggle.
It was on Wednesday, Sriramulu had announced that his party would merge with BJP. "I have decided to rejoin BJP because people of the country want to see Narendra Modi as prime minister. My return is unconditional and top BJP leaders - Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Nitin Gadkari - have agreed to my return," he had claimed.
Senior leaders like Ananth Kumar and former CM Jagadish Shettar have extended an invitation to Sriramulu as he faced no case of corruption. In fact BJP senior leader Sushma Swaraj ever since she contested from Bellary against Congress President Sonia Gandhi was in touch with Bellary since 1999 and she had backed Reddy brothers along with Sriramulu. But after the illegal mining ghost started haunting them, Sushma Swaraj dissociated from them. Eom/blr