Bengaluru: A sense of discomfort may have surely gripped the ‘Reddy brothers’ after BJP National President Amit Shah said that there is no relation between the party and the Reddy brothers and that the tickets for this election would be issued purely on merits and public life of the candidates.
If the BJP gets into considering on the public image of the candidates then neither the Reddy brothers nor their close aide and Bellary MLA Sriramulu and his siblings would get a ticket, for all of them have been tainted in one or the other major charges ranging from corruption, illegal mining to bail deal (in Somashekar Reddy case).
Sriramulu’s nephew and Kampli MLA Suresh Babu too had been put behind bar in bail deal and illegal mining case. Sriramulu’s brother and former MP Sannaphakeerappa too has many cases against him. His sister Shantha had leveled several allegations against the BJP when she joined BSR Congress, which is likely to go against her. The Reddy-Sriramulu had enjoyed close connection with Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, but the equation does not seem as cordial as it should have been and evidently Swaraj has been maintaining a safe distance from the tainted brothers.
Meanwhile, if rumours are to be believed then it is being told that there are chances of Swaraj’s close acquaintance Dr B K Sunder getting ticket from Bellary City instead of Somashekar Reddy.
Sriramulu reacts
Responding to the statement of the BJP Chief, Sriramulu said that Janardhan Reddy is still with the BJP and he would not want to talk about the issue at present.
“Janardhan Reddy is a follower of the BJP. As far as I am concerned, the party has given me everything. I will hold talks with the senior leaders about the issue. Our immediate goal is to win nine constituencies in Bellary,” he said.
