Bellary: BJP MP from Bellary (ST reserved) constituency, J. Shantha is reportedly not keen on contesting the coming Lok Sabha elections as she can no longer count upon the once influential Reddy brothers and her own brother, B Sreeramulu of the BSR Congress party to steer votes her way in this ore-rich district.
The BJP too is not interested in fielding her in these elections, rating her the worst performer among all its MPs from the state, as she has spent very little of the funds allocated to her under the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), say sources.
It is believed Sreeramulu is hoping the party will choose to field him instead from Bellary and help him regain his lost political clout in the district. Sreeramulu, who has been struggling to run the BSR Congress since the arrest of his close associate and former minister, Gali Janardhan Reddy by the CBI for alleged illegal mining of iron ore, is said to be keen on merging his party with the BJP now that it has projected Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi as its Prime Ministerial candidate.
But it may not be all smooth sailing for him as senior BJP leader, Sushma Swaraj is blocking his re-entry into the party, worried that his association with the mining scam could work against the BJP’s interests, say sources.
Sreeramulu’s uncle and sitting MP from Raichur (ST reserved), Sanna Fakirappa is also unlikely to be fielded by the party in the coming LS poll as he has increasingly identified with the BSR Congress since 2011.
Fakirappa won from Raichur in 2009 mainly owing to the support of the Reddy brothers, who called the shots here at the time. BJP state leaders are reportedly considering fielding former minister Shivanagouda Nayaka instead in the LS poll.
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters at Chitradurga, Sreeramulu maintained that there was no any plan for merger or tie-ups with other political parties ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
He said BSR Congress would field candidates from Chitradurga, Koppal, Raichur, Bellary and Haveri Lok Sabha constituencies. A decision on the remaining constituencies would be taken after meeting party workers and supporters, he added.
