Bellary: With both BJP and Janata Dal (S) shutting their doors on former minister and president of BSR Congress B. Sriramulu, the Valmiki strongman is reportedly knocking on the doors of the Congress for a merger ahead of elections to Lok Sabha.
Political circles in this ore-rich district are abuzz with speculation that Sriramulu has been trying to contact senior Congress leaders in New Delhi with the help of Bellary City Congress legislator Anil H Lad. Lad, however, denied that he tried to help Sriramulu secure an appointment with Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh in Delhi. Two years ago, Lad had invited the former minister to join the Congress and even offered to pressurize leaders in Delhi to facilitate his entry into the party.
Sources in Congress said the former minister has volunteered to join the Congress and extend his support to the party in Bellary Lok Sabha constituency, but also conveyed his intention to contest from Raichur Lok Sabha constituency in the wake of reports that the BJP would deny his uncle and Member of Parliament Sanna Fakirappa a ticket this year.
The sources said Sriramulu’s latest move could come unstuck as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seems indifferent to his entry into the ruling party. The Chief Minister has reportedly told partymen that it would be embarrassing for him to allow Sriramulu’s entry after leading a 360-km march from Bangalore to Bellary against the Reddy brothers and their supporters in 2010.
