Mangalore: Karnataka Chief Minister D V
Sadananda Gowda on Saturday said there was no question of
readmitting into the BJP fold former minister B Sreeramulu,
who has quit the party and decided to contest Bellary Rural
bypoll as an independent.
"There is no question of taking Sreeramulu back into the
party fold. He got an opportunity to serve people because of
BJP," he told reporters here.
Sreeramulu, a close associate of mining baron and former
minister G Janardhana Reddy, turned down the BJP offer to
field him in the bypoll caused by his resignation apparently
to protest his exclusion from the Gowda Ministry and
sidelining of Reddy brothers.
Gowda also ruled out 'appeasing' BJP legislators,
including Suresh Babu, campaigning for Sreeramulu in the
bypoll. "Legislators campaigning for Sreeramulu will be
shunted out ... we will not have anything to do with them.
They got an opportunity to serve people because of the party.
Party is bigger than individuals," he said.
Gowda said the BJP would retain the Bellary Rural seat as
leaders like state party chief K S Eshwarappa and former chief
minister B S Yeddyurappa were working together to ensure its
candidate Gadilingappa's victory.
"We will use our party strength to register a win (in
Bellary bypoll) ... Our party intelligence says Congress will
come a poor third or fourth," he claimed.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, November 19, 2011, 16:16