Reddy brothers aide Sriramulu wins Bellary bypoll

Reddy brothers aide Sriramulu wins Bellary bypoll

Reddy brothers acolyte and former Health Minister B Sriramulu on Sunday won the Bellary Rural Assembly by-election over a margin of 46,000 votes pushing the ruling BJP to the third position in the keenly contested bypoll.

In its first ever defeat after coming over to power the ruling BJP has muddled in to confabulations to find out not only answers but working out strategies to save the DV Sadananda Gowda-led minority Government in Karnataka. The Chief Minister who dashed to Delhi to workout strategies with the party seniors has been saying that the Bellary bypoll result was not a referendum on his Government.

Even though there is no immediate political repercussion, the victory will have its own consequences on the State politics which might change the course to more political polarisation.

According to BJP insiders, the results was as expected and might work out a strategy to save the Sadananda Gowda-led minority Government in case of some MLAs joining Reddy brothers to destabilise the Government. Sadnanda Gowda was blaming the Congress as conspiring to destabilise his Government. The JDS did not field any candidate but supported Sriramulu who enjoyed the support of his community Valmiki(ST) and others to push the BJP to the deposit loss position.

Sriramulu, a close associate of jailed mining baron and former Minister G Janardhana Reddy, secured 74,527 votes and retained the seat which he had vacated protesting denial of a ministerial berth in the DV Sadananda Gowda Ministry. BJP finished a poor third with its candidate P Gadilingappa losing the deposit managing only 17,366 votes behind Congress’ B Ramprasad who garnered 27,737 votes in the triangular fight, seen as litmus test for the Reddy brothers, facing the CBI heat in illegal mining cases.

40-year-old Sriramulu had resigned his Assembly seat in August in the wake of the Lokayukta report on illegal mining that indicting him, saying his pride has been hurt. He quit the BJP days before the November 30 by-election, result of which was announced on Sunday.

Talking to reporters in Bellary Sriramulu has said he will not destabilise the BJP Government. However, he made his intention clear that they would float a new regional party once Gali Janardhana Reddy is out of jail.

He said, “I don’t believe it’s my victory; it’s a victory of the people. We are sure to float a party but just waiting for Janardhana Reddy to come out. I am not in the habit of destabilising a political party. BJP should know that. We have built the party.”

The bypoll which witnessed a fierce battle humbled the ruling BJP and also this was the first ever defeat for the BJP after Sadananda Gowda took over as the Chief Minister.

A BJP insider told The Pioneer that the party was working out a strategy to lure the independents in case of any eventuality arising out of this victory where Reddy brothers proved to be the lords of republic of Bellary. He said, “BJP is talking to five independent legislators to secure support in case Reddy brothers pose a threat to the stability of the Government.” The five were sacked from the Ministry in 2010 after they aligned with party dissidents and withdrew support to the Government. They were among the 16 MLAs disqualified. But the Supreme Court restored their membership in May this year.

Another source informed The Pioneer that there were efforts to bring Sriramulu and other suspended MLAs back to the BJP. However, still the Ministry has some vacancies, the party is at luring the independents to manage the battle in the number game. In fact the by-election was necessitated when Sreeramulu, a trusted lieutenant of mining barons G Janardhana Reddy and G Karunakara Reddy, quit Assembly membership after being denied a ministerial berth following his indictment along with the Reddy brothers in the Lokayukta report on illegal mining.