Sriramulu threatens to quit day after meeting state BJP in charge
Senior leader B Sriramulu accused Radha Mohan Das Agarwal of failing to contribute effectively during the by-elections and also threatened to quit the party
A day after the meeting between BJP MLAs and national general secretary and Karnataka in charge, Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, senior leader B Sriramulu accused him of failing to contribute effectively during the by-elections and also threatened to quit the party, citing humiliation and lack of recognition for his efforts.
During the meeting, Agarwal reportedly implied that Sriramulu had not done enough work during the by-elections. In response to the accusation, Sriramulu on Wednesday said that neither he nor the Sadananda Gowda Committee had submitted a report on the by-election defeat.
“Look, yesterday (Tuesday) I was called by the president and Agarwal. All the key leaders were present during the meeting, and I was directly accused. They said, ‘The party lost because of me’. This accusation has caused me a lot of pain,” he said.
Sriramulu defended his contributions, highlighting his active involvement in the campaign for Vijayendra. “On the day Vijayendra filed his nomination, I was present. I ensured everything was in order until the very last day. Even on the final day, I worked tirelessly to ensure the campaign didn’t face any setbacks. If you ask anyone in the constituency, they will tell you about the work I’ve done. It’s not right to make such baseless accusations,” he added.
He also said the state leadership failed to communicate effectively, leading to unnecessary tensions within the party. “I’ve worked hard for the party, fought elections at various levels, and contributed significantly...I don’t understand the purpose of these accusations,” he said.
The meeting also saw criticism directed at Janardhan Reddy. “He (Reddy) spoke with Agarwal, who is a leader from Uttar Pradesh. Reddy tarnished my image,” he said.
Reddy was not available for a comment on the allegations.
Sriramulu added, “I am not someone who would betray the party under any circumstances. I have consistently worked for the party. However, the absence of leadership at such a crucial moment has caused me immense pain. If my contributions are not recognised and I am subjected to such humiliation, I will leave the party.”
Sriramulu and Janardhana Reddy, once known as close allies in Karnataka politics, now find themselves at odds. While Reddy played a key role in Sriramulu’s rise in state politics, the two have grown apart.
Sriramulu chose not to join Reddy’s Karnataka Rajya Pragathi Paksha (KRPP), launched before the state assembly elections. In March 2024, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Reddy merged the KRPP with the BJP, further complicating their relationship.
Meanwhile, another layer of controversy emerged when Radha Mohan Das Agarwal and CT Ravi reportedly had an argument. A senior leader, speaking on the condition of anonymity, revealed that Agarwal accused Ravi of opposing BY Vijayendra because Ravi was not given the position of legislative council chairman.
“They directly said ‘it wouldn’t happen as you didn’t get the position of leader of opposition in the legislative council. How can someone who barely became an MLC make such claims? Even after I lost the election, the party made you an MLC. Now you’re complaining about not being made the Leader of the Opposition?’,” the leader quoted Agarwal as saying.
The argument reportedly intensified when Ravi was criticised for making a statement about Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath being the next Prime Minister. Ravi defended himself, claiming he never made such a statement, but Agarwal dismissed his explanation, asserting that such remarks invited criticism from various quarters.
PTI quoted senior party leaders saying that the issue of Vijayapura BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and his faction publicly targeting the BJP state president Vijayendra and his father and former chief minister BS Yediyurappa also surfaced during the meeting.
Vijayendra’s loyalists sought to know during the meeting about the action taken against Yatnal for putting the party in an embarrassing situation time and again, which was hampering the BJP’s prospects, the leaders added.
Yatnal had recently called Vijayendra “corrupt” who had amassed wealth through unfair means. He also appealed to Yediyurappa to pave way for others instead of succumbing to infatuation for his son.
Agarwal told the MLAs that the party high command was aware of it and would take necessary steps. The MLAs should not lose their focus on strengthening the party at the ground level, he said.
The committee, according to leaders, discussed the appointment of district level party office bearers, including the district presidents. This will finally culminate in choosing the party state president, which is presently occupied by Shikaripura MLA B Y Vijayendra.
In this regard, names of three probable candidates from each district will be sent to the party high command, which will choose one among them on the merit basis, BJP MLC C T Ravi told reporters.
“We are keeping the social justice and women empowerment in mind while selecting candidates for the district level BJP organisation,” Ravi explained.
Speaking at a recent party meeting, Senior BJP leader Suresh Gowda emphasised on the party staying together as the BJP has to take on Congress’ misgovernance.
“I clearly stated that the Congress government is completing one year. Not a single rupee has been provided. No MLA has received even ₹1,” said Gowda.
Gowda emphasised the need for unity within the BJP, urging party members to resolve internal differences and focus on the upcoming zilla panchayat and taluk panchayat elections. “We have been very clear about this—this government must not continue. We all need to stand united. Differences within any political party are not healthy. I’ve said this explicitly: let us put an end to these confusions,” he stated.
With PTI inputs