Also opposes Congress leader Venod Sharma in NDA fold, writes to BJP chief
Senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj on Thursday opposed the party’s proposed alliance with BSR Congress floated by Karnataka’s tainted mining barons, the Reddy brothers of Bellary. The leader of Opposition in the lok Sabha has also openly come out against the possibility of controversial Haryana politician and Congress leader Venod Sharma entering the NDA fold through the Haryana Janhit Congress.
“I am opposed to the BSR alliance or merger with the BJP in Karnataka. I have conveyed to Rajnath Singhji in writing that the BJP must not permit this,” Sushma tweeted.
Her opposition comes after BSR leader Sriramulu on Wednesday announced that his party was merging with the BJP. Sriramulu had quit the BJP two years ago after the BJP distances itself from the powerful Reddy brothers following their arrest in the mining scam.
The BSR Congress won four seats in the 2013 Assembly elections in Karnataka. The Reddy brothers were said to be close to former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa. Janardhana is in jail in Andhra Pradesh in an illegal mining case and was considered Sriramulu’s mentor, while the other influential brother G Somashekara Reddy is set to follow Sriramulu back into the BJP.
Opposing Venod Sharma’s entry into the HJC, which is run by Kuldeep Bishnoi the son of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhajan lal, Swaraj said on Twitter, “I am strongly opposed to this. I have conveyed my views to Kuldeep Bishnoi. Venod Sharma set to join HJC.”
Post his joining the HJC, Sharma is tipped to be the BJP-HJC candidate from Karnal lok Sabha constituency. The HJC is seeking two seats of Hisar, which Bishnoi represents, and Karnal from the BJP under the alliance. Sharma’s son Manu is in a Delhi jail in connection with the murder of model Jessica lall in 1999.