BJP leaders conspired against me: Sriramulu

BELLARY: “I don’t believe it’s my victory; it’s a victory of the people,” said  Independent candidate B Sriramulu who won the by-election for Bellary rural constituency (ST) by a thumping majority, on Sunday.Speaking to reporters after the declaration of election results, Sriramulu said people of the constituency had reacted to those allegations levelled against him by the BJP and Congress leaders.Dedicating his victory to the people of Karnataka in general and Bellary in particular, the former minister alleged that the BJP leaders who forgot the contributions of the Reddy clan in forming the government, later conspired to finish him off politically, but the people had given the verdict -- a new lease of life for him.Sriramulu said many BJP leaders who did not want him to grow as a leader of backward class people, tried to contain his growth. Even though many big-wigs in the BJP and the Congress campaigned for their candidates, they could not win the election. “But I won the polls with the blessings of the people,” he said.He thanked JD(S) executive president and former CM H D Kumaraswamy and Dr M P Nadagowda, for having supported him during the electoral campaign.Asked about his future course of action, Sriramulu, who had in the run-up to the byelection indicated that he would float a regional party, said a decision in this connection would be taken after consultations with his friend Janardhana Reddy, currently lodged in a jail in Hyderabad, and added that he would also hold discussions with intellectuals, legislators and MPs before deciding on the matter.