B Sriramulu has an uphill task to ensure his sister's victory in Ballari Lok Sabha constituency

B Sriramulu has an uphill task to ensure his sister's victory in Ballari Lok Sabha constituency

Ballari Lok Sabha constituency in Karnataka is again poised for another bye elections on 3 November and this time around its no cake walk to B Sriramulu,BJP strong man of the district.In fact the vacancy has taken place following his resignation to this Lok Sabha seat.He was elected from the Molakalmuru ST Reserve Assembly constituency in the previous general elections.

Former one time Ballari MP and B Sriramulu's sister J Shanta  is once again the BJP candidate here.She is more known as B Sriramulu's sister rather than carving a niche for herself in the political and public circles.But any way she is considered as a local person in comparison to her Congress rival VS Ugrappa,presently MLC.

The iron ore rich district had been in the news for all the wrong reasons for a pretty prolonged period of time.Thanks to excessive illegal mining operations of G Janardhana Reddy, a police constable's son turned mining baron,the picture of the district politics saw a sea change with his entry into the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Over a period of time his grip over the political situation of the district soon spread to the state level such that he also became responsible for dislodging BS Yeddyurappa from the chief minister's position.His sudden elevation in monetary scales pitched him to a new level of king maker for sometime until he was coaxed down by the central investigative agencies.

But it appears in spite of being in jail for years together not much has changed with his mindset or having his say in the district BJP politics.The apex court's ban on him from entering Ballari district for a pretty long period of time tied his hands from plunging directly into the district politics.However such legal action didn't prevent him from calling shots by residing in the neighboring Chitradurga district.

B Sriramulu after abandoning his Badavara Shramikara Raithara Congress Party(BSRCP) rejoined his parental party BJP much before 2014 Parliamentary elections and bagged the party ticket to contest from Ballari Lok Sabha constituency.

He won the maiden Lok Sabha elections defeating NY Hanumanthappa, former chief justice of Odisha state high court,representing the Indian National Congress.B Sriramulu won the seat by bagging 5,34,406 votes(51.09 percent) while the former chief justice lost polling4,49,262 votes(42.95 percent).

Then the scenario was all together different as the whole nation was undergoing a very strong pro BJP and Narendra Modi wave.Perhaps it helped B Sriramulu to sail through safely with less of risks and hardships on the way.But it looks to be an all together adverse situation now going by the political representation of different constituencies in the district.

The Lok Sabha constituency in all has eight Assembly constituencies in its fold.Interestingly but for two belonging to the general category all the remaining six are reserved one's.If two of them are meant for Scheduled Tribes the remaining four are specifically earmarked for Scheduled Tribes.

B Sriramulu belongs to the Valmiki community which comes under the bracket of Scheduled Tribes and VS Ugrappa,the Congress candidate also comes from the same community.But the real challenge lies with the six Congress MLAs' in comparison to a bare two BJP MLAs'.

There is nothing to worry in the BJP camp but all is not well with the ruling Congress side.DK Shivakumar,Power and district in charge minister had an embarrassing situation as none of the six party legislators turned up for the meeting he had called to discuss about the candidate's selection to contest the polls.

It was only after Siddaramaiah reached Ballari the party MLAs' made it to the party meeting.None of the six MLAs' have succeeded to get a berth in the coalition ministry and everyone is in a race to get one.The Congress candidate is from Bengaluru and doesn't have much local connect directly the way the BJP candidate boasts of.

But that doesn't mean its roses all the way to the BJP candidate either.Both JDS and Congress have sworn to defeat the BJP and HD Devegowda and Siddaramaiah have announced of campaigning jointly.Whether such coming together of bitter foes just for the sake of elections will make any difference would be known on 6 November when the counting of votes will take place.

-Manohar Yadavatti