Sreeramulu vows to 'wipe out' BJP from Bellary

A day after coming under attack from BJP leaders in the run up to the Nov 30 bypoll for the Bellary Rural seat, rebel leader B Sreeramulu on Thursday declared he would "wipe out" the saffron party base in this district.

"I will decimate BJP from the grassroots level in Bellary district, as I eliminated Congress. It is me and Janardhana Reddy who are responsible for BJP's growth in Bellary," Sreeramulu, seeking re-election from Bellary Rural seat as an Independent, told reporters.

Apparently retaliating to the attack by Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda and his predecessor B S Yeddyurappa, he accused BJP of trying to wean away MLAs supporting him in the election with allurements.

"As the party was staring at defeat of its candidate, it is engaged in desperate acts," Sreeramulu, who recently quit the BJP and is fighting against it in the bypoll, said.

Sreeramulu hit out at Yeddyurappa for his remarks that development works had taken a beating in Bellary district, saying "the same leader a few months ago heaped praises on me and Janardhana Reddy".

Yeddyurappa had during campaigning said on Wednesday, "BJP means it is not Sreeramulu and Reddys. There are others in the party".

Chief Minister Gowda, had alleged Sreeramulu had quit BJP and was contesting as an independent in the bypoll after the party rejected his demand for a ministerial berth. "I now regret supporting Sreeramulu and Reddys in Bellary," he had said.

Meanwhile, three companies of para-military force which arrived in Bellary to assist police in maintenance of law and order during the by-election staged a flag march to instill confidence in people.