leader of the Opposition in the lok Sabha and BJP leader Sushma Swaraj on Friday tweeted her unhappiness at Sriramalu being inducted into the party "I want to make it absolutely clear that B Sriramulu has been admitted in the party despite my stiff opposition."
The BJP had accepted B Sriramalu into the party to bolster up its chances in Bellary, and in Karnataka. J Shantha (sister of B Sriramalu) of the BJP is the sitting MP.
Sriramalu had quit the BJP in 2011 to start the Badavara Shramikara Raitara Congress. He is currently the MlA for Bellary Rural. Sriramalu is a close aide of the jailed mining baron Janardhana Reddy.
Swaraj had earlier opposed Sriramalu and the Reddy Brothers entry into the BJP on the grounds that the party should not admit 'tainted' people. Sriramulu's homecoming came a day after BJP Parliamentary Board disfavoured the merger but decided to field him as candidate on the party ticket for the Bellary lok Sabha seat. BSR Congress had declared its decision on merger but it ran into trouble after Swaraj publicly opposed his and mining baron Reddy brothers' entry into BJP, saying such "tainted" leaders should not be allowed to be associated with the party.