With massive Ballari rally, Sriramulu sends strong message to BJP, Congress

Karnataka BJP minister B Sriramulu, a close friend of the controversial politician Gali Janardhana Reddy, is revelling in the success of the massive Scheduled Tribe (ST) rally recently held in Ballari in Karnataka. This rally not only sent out a message to the BJP’s top brass about his solid clout among the ST community but it also made the Congress jittery. The grand old party has also been trying to woo this voter base in the 2023 Assembly elections.

Sriramulu is a leader who emerged from the Nayak or Valmiki (ST) community, which is largely dominant in Ballari, Raichur Chitradurga, and Belagavi areas. In charge of the ST Navashakti Convention, which was organised by the ST morcha of the state BJP unit on Sunday (November 20), Sriramulu, who is currently the state Minister for Transport and ST Welfare, managed to rustle up a huge gathering of around 2 lakh people. The crowd was full of his followers from the Nayak community.

At the convention, in front of BJP national president JP Nadda, Sriramulu attacked the Congress, and Opposition leader Siddaramaiah in particular.

Rivalry among two ST leaders

BJP has two notable leaders from the ST and that too from the Nayak community – B Sriramulu and former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi.

Ramesh Jarkiholi lost his cabinet portfolio after he was embroiled in a sex scandal. But, he still has a sizable following among the Nayak community along with his brothers, mainly in the Belagavi region.

Ramesh Jarkiholi and Sriramulu were competing for the ST leadership in the BJP. A more competent Jarkiholi was clearly ahead in the race through his political smartness and direct links with the Delhi bosses. However, Sriramulu emerged as a leader with the help of his friend Gali Janardhana Reddy, the mining baron and former minister who has been facing charges of illegal mining and also went to jail. Reddy is now out on bail.

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Sriramulu also enjoys a huge following in his community. Meanwhile, sources said, a sulking Jarkiholi is sending feelers to JD(S) since he has not got back his minister’s post.

Through thick and thin

Sriramulu’s chief goal is to protect his close friend and mentor Janardhana Reddy. Both of them were the backseat drivers of the BS Yediyurappa-led BJP government in 2008. In 2013, Sriramulu left the BJP and formed the BSR Congress party after his friend Reddy went to jail in the illegal mining scam. And he, along with Yediyurappa, was largely responsible for BJP‘s defeat in the 2013 Karnataka Assembly elections.

Now, Sriramulu, wants his friend Janardhana Reddy back in active politics. But, the BJP is wary since they believe that Reddy’s return to active politics may cause problems for the party (already in the midst of many corruption scandals) in the state readying to go to the polls next year.

But, Reddy is important for Sriramulu. A few weeks ago, Reddy spoke about how his party colleagues backstabbed him and close aides of Sriramulu hinted that both leaders may join YSR Congress or relaunch the BSR Congress soon if their demands are not met.

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Sriramulu, who attacked the Congress and batted for BJP in the rally, incidentally, recently held a dharna demanding the restoration of the damaged pillar of a bridge across river Vedavathi in Bellary. He also protested against the BJP government.

The importance of Sriramulu

Political observers felt Sriramulu took the initiative to hold an ST rally, as the BJP is focussing on wooing different communities in the upcoming elections. Sriramulu wanted to drive home his power and importance in the party in Karnataka to the Delhi leaders. Holding a huge rally before J P Nadda was all part of this plan.

Interestingly, The former chief minister BS Yediyurappa in his speech, mentioned that he had done everything Sriramulu and Janardhana Reddy had asked while he was the CM. A leader told The Federal that Yediyurappa’s comments about Sriramulu and his friend Janardhana Reddy were not made just in passing but was “politically calculative”. Probably, to ensure that people understood the power wielded by these two leaders.

However, even as Sriramulu tried to prove he is the leader of the STs and the Valmiki community in particular, the Basavaraj Bommai government went ahead and hiked the SC reservation from 15 to 17 per cent and for ST from 3 to 7 per cent. They wanted to snub both Jarkiholi and Sriramulu and ensure they don’t make any further demands on the reservation percentage issue to prove their leadership.

At the same time, BJP wanted to snub Congress too and win over the SC and ST voter base in the state. However, Sriramulu, was not in the loop when the government decided to go for the reservation hike. So, Sriramulu’s ST convention was to send a signal to his leaders about his popularity and following.  Also, he turned the reservation hike in his favour in front of his followers.

Sriramulu’s long-time ambition

Sriramulu has been eyeing the deputy CM post for a long time but this goal has always eluded the minister. He was assured of becoming deputy CM by the former CM BS Yediyurappa before the BJP government was formed but the promise was not kept. Sriramulu unsuccessfully tried for the post several times during BSY and Bommai’s tenure.

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Now, he is keen to bag the post and is going all out to show that he is the strongest ST leader in the state, said political observers. He is also sending a signal to the BJP leaders that he is ready to take the next step in the party if it comes to power again in 2023. Basavaraj Bommai, in his speech, also said that Sriramulu has a chance of becoming the CM in the future. This was said to probably placate Sriramulu so that he does not take any drastic political stand before the upcoming Assembly elections, said sources.

Besides Sriramulu’s intention to prove his mass following to the Delhi top brass and to bring back his friend Janardhana Reddy into the BJP fold, this political leader is also sending an indirect signal that he ‘can’t be neglected by the BJP bosses’.

Sources said that he was making it clear that he will leave and start a party by himself if he is not heard in the party. In the 2013 elections, Sriramulu’s party had won three seats and played spoilsport for BJP along with BSY. The latter had also left BJP at that time and formed the KJP.

It is said that Nadda was amazed to see Sriramulu’s support and assured him that  the party will look after him in the coming days. Nadda also reportedly told Sriramulu to have patience and wait until the Assembly elections in 2023  is over.

It is vital for the BJP to keep Sriramulu on their side. Lingayat leader BSY being on the outside and Sriramulu’s efforts to help Janardhana Reddy return to active politics are both worrying factors for BJP. Now the ST rally at Bellary has made the BJP leadership realise Sriramulu’s worth.

Threat to Congress

However, the Bellary rally is a threat to the Congress too, which has the backing of the backward classes, minorities and Dalits, including SCs and STs in the state. Sriramulu is emerging as a leader of STs in the state, even as the Congress is also pushing its leaders including Satish Jarkiholi, Ugrappa and others to take on the BJP in the coming elections.

In the backdrop of Sriramulu’s rally, Congress is also now planning to hold an SC-ST unity rally and party leaders including Siddaramaiah, former deputy CM Dr G Parameshwara, KPCC working president Dhruva Narayana and others will hold a preparatory meeting in Bengaluru.

The BJP’s ST rally has the Congress worried. Meanwhile, Sriramulu is basking in the success of having proved himself as a leader in front of BJP national president Nadda. At the same time, he has the Congress on the backfoot. After all, the political parties cannot easily ignore the STs, who have a significant 7 per cent vote share in Karnataka, particularly in north Karnataka and Mysuru region.