BJP faces major crisis in Karnataka; Reddy aide to contest from Bellary

Yeddyurappa’s bail hasn’t brought any relief to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka. The BJP is facing a major crisis as arrested mining baron G Janardhana Reddy has propped up a rebel candidate for a by-poll in the iron-ore rich district of Bellary. Reddy who is lodged in Hyderabad’s Chanchalaguda jail since 5 September, is fielding his associate and former health minister B Sriramulu as an independent candidate in the 30 November by-poll to the Bellary assembly seat reserved for Scheduled Tribes. [caption id=“attachment_127112” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“The BJP is facing a major crisis in Karnataka. Reuters”]  [/caption] The by-poll follows Sriramulu quitting the assembly in September claiming his ‘image’ was damaged by the then Lokayukta  N Santosh Hegde indicting him in an illegal mining scam. However, the real reason for him to leave the assembly was said to be his unhappiness at not being made a minister in the DV Sadananda Gowda cabinet that succeeded the BS Yeddyurappa ministry on 4 August. Following his ouster from the cabinet, Sriramulu had indicated floating a party of his own, but changed his mind after talks with state BJP leaders. Hegde had also indicted Janardhana Reddy and his elder brother G Karunakara. Karunakara was also not made a minister again. Sriramulu, who met Janardhana Reddy in the Chanchalaguda jail on Tuesday, announced in Bellary on Wednesday that he will contest the 30 November by-poll as an independent. He was flanked by Janardhana’s younger brother G Somashekara Reddy, a BJP assembly member. In Bangalore, state BJP chief KS Eshwarappa told reporters that Sriramulu has the freedom to take any decision. “I have not heard from him on his decision (to contest as an independent). The party will take a decision soon on fielding a candidate,” he said. Eshwarappa also said that if Sriramulu files nomination papers as an independent, he faces expulsion from the party. Agencies