It’s a neck-to-neck race between BJP rebel turned Independent B. Sreeramulu and BJP candidate Gadi Lingappa in the Nov. 30 Bellary bypoll for which the campaign ends on Monday. Will Congress candidate B. Ramprasad emerge as the dark horse?

Sources said that with the electorate sharply divided on caste lines, the BJP is likely to win over the Lingayats because of the BSY factor and a substantial chunk of Dalit votes. The Dalits, are not too happy with the Valmiki sect to which Sreeramulu belongs, dominating the constituency.

As for minority votes (40,000) these could be split between Congress candidate Ramprasad and Sreeramulu while Kuruba strongman Siddaramaiah is sure to get his comunity’s backing for the Congress.

Reddy rival Tapal Ganesh in BJP fold
In a significant twist to the Bellary (ST) seat bypoll, Tapal Ganesh, the whistleblower of the Reddy brothers who played a pivotal role in ’exposing’ the illegal mining scam, has joined the BJP. After joining the party in the presence of party state president K.S. Eshwarappa, Mr Ganesh, who waged a legal battle against illegal mining by the Reddy brothers owned Obulapuram Mining Company(OMC) told reporters that he was never against the BJP and had only opposed the Reddy brothers and the atrocities they had committed on common people in the district. He vowed to fight the Reddys and Independent candidate B. Sreeramulu in the by-election and oust them from the political scene.

Mr Ganesh said this was needed to protect the larger interests of lakhs of people who are dependent on mining and allied industries for their living and are now suffering after the ban imposed by the Supreme Court on mining in the district. "Legal mining should be allowed to protect people’s livelihood means. Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda, former CM B.S. Yeddyurappa and party chief have assured me that they will appeal to the Supreme Court seeking permission for legal mining. I have nothing to gain personally by joining the BJP", he remarked.

Sources said that Mr Gowda has personally called up Mr Ganesh over phone and requested him to join the party now that his rivals, the Reddy brothers were no longer with the BJP.