Amidst opposition from the leader of Opposition and senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj, the Karnataka State BJP wants Bellary Reddy aide B Sriramulu back in the party. The State unit also wants a merger with the BSR Congress party of Sriramulu ahead of elections.
Addressing a Press conference in Bangalore on Wednesday, State BJP chief Prahlad Joshi said that it is crucial to bring back Sriramulu to the party. He said “The BSR Congress has announced its merger with the BJP. We have requested the Central leadership to allow us to respond positively”. When asked about Sushma Swaraj’s opposition, Joshi said she had voiced her opposition but the party had not taken any final decision regarding the merger with the BSR Congress, led by B Sriramulu, “BJP national president Rajnath Singh will take a final decision on the issue,” he said.
It is crucial for the BJP to align with Sriramulu as he commands considerable support in three districts of Karnataka. Sriramulu, being a Schedule Tribe leader, becomes crucial for the saffron party to garner ST votes against the Congress, which often misuses this card. Sriramulu was a powerful leader when Reddy brothers were active but still carries clout in the Bellary and Koppal area which are crucial for the BJP to fight the Congress. Sriramulu recently announced his decision to merge with the BJP but the process hit a road block after Sushma Swaraj opposed any such move.
In fact Suhsma Swaraj was once was very close to Reddy brothers and Sriramulu till Janardhan Reddy was implicated in mining scam and sent to jail. Reddy brothers, along with Sriramulu, developed a rapport with Sushma till 1999 Bellary elections where she lost to the Congress president Sonia Gandhi. After the merger of KJP, led by lingayat strongman Yeddyurappa, the State BJP wanted consolidation of its forces and wanted the merger with the BSR Congress of Sriramulu.