Bellary: Former minister B Sriramulu, who
won a key Assembly bypoll contesting as an independent after
quitting the ruling BJP, on Sunday dismissed suggestions that he
might seek to topple the DV Sadananda Gowda ministry.
He said he would hold consultations with his well wishers
on forming a regional party.
Speaking to reporters here after being declared elected in
the Bellary (Rural) Assembly by-elections, he said the ruling
party has a five-year mandate and he would not "insult" the
state`s people, dismissing suggestions in some quarters that
he would seek to topple the BJP government.
Sriramulu, who won by a margin of more than 46,000 votes
over his nearest Congress rival pushing the BJP nominee to the
third place, said he would consult his close associate and
jailed former minister G Janardhana Reddy and his supporters
on forming a regional party in Karnataka.
"I will have seek the blessings of my friend Janardhana
Reddy and the electorate", Sriramulu, who had in recent days
indicated he would float a regional party, said.
The backward class leader entered the contest as an
independent after consulting Janardhana Reddy, lodged in a
jail in Hyderabad in connection with illegal mining cases, and
severing links with the BJP.
BJP, which had "dumped" Janardhana Reddy, his brother and
former Minister G Karunakara Reddy and Sriramulu after the
Lokayukta report on illegal mining indicted them, had already
suspended three MLAs, one MLC and two Lok Sabha MPs for
supporting Sriramulu during the electioneering.
"It`s not my victory, it`s the victory of the people.
It`s a victory for the pride", Sriramulu said, charging the
BJP with "backstabbing him" forgetting about the contributions
made by him and the Reddy brothers in the last Assembly polls
which saw the Saffron party storming to power for the first
time in the southern states.
"Just because I am a leader of backward classes, I come
from the lower caste of `Valmiky` community, they tried to
finish me politically by hatching a conspiracy...Just like the
government forgot us, in the coming days, people will forget
BJP", he claimed.
PTI
