BENGALURU: Once perceived as a lackey of the infamous mining barons of Ballari, the
Reddy brothers, the phenomenal rise of Ballari MP and BJP candidate from Molkalmuru and Badami B
Sreeramulu is one for the fiction books. Such has been his, and the Reddy brothers’, rehabilitation into BJP that in the 2018 elections, seven of their family and friends were given tickets.
On Tuesday, while four lost, Sreeramulu (Molakalmuru), G Somashekara Reddy (Bellary City) and G Karunakara Reddy (Harapanahalli) won. Having risen on the back of the Reddy brothers, as a close aide and friend to tainted mining czar G Janaradhana Reddy, Sreeramulu today has become an indispensable component in the BJP scheme of things to reign in
Karnataka.
With youth as an added factor, at 46, Sreeramulu derives his strength on his Valmiki or Nayaka community numbers. Comprising 7-8 % of the state electorate, popularly known as ‘Ramulu’, BJP needs the Ballari strongman to be the face of the next generation considering there are no rivals to stake claim for the community leadership.
When questioned about reports of Sreeramulu likely to become the deputy chief minister, BJP national president Amit Shah neither confirmed nor denied it.
His popularity among the Valmiki community was evident in the BJP fielding him from Molkalmuru in Chitradurga, outside Sreeramulu’s stronghold of Ballari district. Further, he was asked to contest against Siddaramaiah from Badami. Sreeramulu’s popularity runs across at least three districts of Ballari, Chitradurga and Gadag, which have a high concentration of scheduled tribe voters.
B Sreeramulu (Left)