Aday after he was given the ticket to contest from Bellary parliamentary constituency in Karnataka by the BJP high command, powerful ST leader and close aide of Reddy Brothers, B Sriramulu is officially back in saffron brigade.
In fact, senior party leader Sushma Swaraj had made her opposition open against bringing back Sriramulu but the State unit of the party wanted him back to strengthen the party ahead of elections. In a simple ceremony at the BJP office on Friday Sriramulu was welcomed back to party by State BJP chief Prahlad Joshi, former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, former Deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka and others.
Addressing the media, Sriramulu said he was happy to be back in the party. “I was hurt and I had quit the party. I am back. I have put no conditions. I will work as an ordinary party worker. The party high command has reposed trust in me and I am back. Sushma Swaraj even today is like my mother. She has also fully endorsed my coming back to the party”. The State BJP is defending the decision saying that Sriramulu is not facing any cases and he can’t be made a criminal just because of his association with Reddy brothers. Sriramulu, a sitting MlA will contest from Bellary.
Defending his return to the BJP leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly Jagadish Shettar said, “If the Congress can go with lalu Prasad Yadav, what is wrong in going with Sriramulu”IJ Meanwhile two other people Shivalingaiah and journalist-turned-politician Pratap Simha also joined the BJP. Shivalingaiah is contesting from Mandya and Pratap Simha from Mysore-Kodagu constituencies.
Both of them have got the tickets on Thursday in the BJP’s second list. In fact BJP in Mysore is facing a rebellion for accommodating Pratap Simha ignoring senior BJP leader CH Vijayashankar who had once won the Mysore seat. Pratap Simha has recently translated a book on Modi and according to BJP sources he was nominated by the RSS.