Sriramulu keeps cards close to his chest

BELLARY: Even as the process for the by-election for Bellary Rural (ST) Assembly constituency is on, the doubts over former minister B Sriramlu’s candidature on a BJP ticket has not been cleared yet.While Sriramulu is busy holding ward-wise meetings with his supporters, councillers, ZP, TP and GP members, a majority of them urge him to contest as an independent candidate, and some leaders have even assured him of unconditional support. ‘Kuteera’, the home-office of former minister G Janardhana Reddy, is abuzz with political  The issue has assumed importance because of the changed political scenario after the arrest of Janardhana Reddy by the CBI.  Rumours were rife that Sriramulu, who was disappointed with his and the Reddy brothers’ non-inclusion into the state Cabinet, was planning to contest as an independent candidate. But now with almost the entire district BJP supporting him, Sriramulu is ready to contest, but so far he has not spoken about contesting on a BJP ticket or as an independent. The resentment about senior party leaders, it seems, has strengthened his resolve of contesting as an independent candidate. The party is trying to persuade Sriramulu to retain its citadel Bellary. Janardhana Reddy, who is in Chancalguda Jail in Andhra Pradesh, is also said to have opined that Sriramulu should contest as an independent. The plan of the Reddy clan is to put up a show of strength with the BJP. In case Sriramulu wins,  it would be easier for  him to bargain for  minister’s post.It is said that his candidature as an independent would expose unseen and unheard of issues within the BJP and would  destabilise the district party unit.Though the Congress and the JD(S) are trying their best to win the seat, Sriramulu’s entry into the fray would tilt  the equations.