Bellalry: Former Bellary Lok Sabha member, Joladarashi Shantha, who was sulking at not being chosen as candidate for the Bellary (ST) bypoll, has been persuaded to join the campaign for Mr Obalesh, personal assistant of her brother and BJP MP, B Sreeramulu, who was given the ticket instead.
Pacified by leader of the opposition in the legislative council, K S Eshwarappa and senior BJP leader, Ashok, who is in charge of the bypoll, Ms Shantha joined the two leaders in campaigning in several villages of Bellary rural on Tuesday, putting aside her disappointment at being passed over as candidate.
But another strong contender for the ticket, Mr Sreeramulu’s uncle, Sanna Fakirappa, has not proved as easy to persuade. The former BJP MP from Raichur has not been seen canvassing even as speculation grows that energy minister, D K Shivakumar, who is the Congress in -charge of the bypoll, is trying to get him on his side.
Mr Eshwarappa, meanwhile, hit out at Mr Shivakumar for attempting to ‘divide the house’ of the Reddy brothers.
"Mr Shivakumar is an expert at dividing houses. He went to the house of Mr Somashekhar Reddy (Karnataka Milk Federation chairman and BJP leader) for dinner without an invitation only to accomplish this. What can we call a person who goes to someone's house for dinner without an invitation and what sort of culture does it reflect?” he demanded, speaking to reporters here.
