In a fresh blow to Karnataka’s BJP, former minister B Sriramulu has threatened to resign after being blamed for the party’s defeat in the Sandur Assembly bypoll. During a state core committee meeting, BJP general secretary Radha Mohan Das Agarwal accused Sriramulu of causing the loss, which led the former minister to express his disappointment. He questioned how such accusations could be made when he had campaigned tirelessly for the party. Sriramulu also voiced his frustration at BJP state president B Y Vijayendra for not defending him against the allegations.
The blame against Sriramulu was reportedly based on feedback from BJP MLA Janardhan Reddy, whom Sriramulu has accused of trying to politically eliminate him. Sriramulu claimed that Reddy, a mining magnate, had been plotting his downfall ever since his return to Ballari, and is now targeting him politically by allying with his rivals. He further alleged that Reddy had been spreading false claims about his political relevance.
Sriramulu’s frustration comes after the BJP suffered losses in all three constituencies during November’s bypolls, which included Sandur. The party’s internal strife has only intensified, with factionalism becoming more pronounced, especially with the upcoming election for the state BJP chief.
The tensions between Sriramulu and Reddy have escalated since Reddy’s re-entry into the BJP after his release from jail, with Sriramulu failing to help revive Reddy’s political career. The fallout worsened when Reddy’s candidate, Bangaru Hanamantu, lost the Sandur bypoll. Despite the BJP’s leadership attempting to address the situation, Sriramulu’s complaints have highlighted deepening divisions within the party.