BANGALORE: The story of former minister B Sreeramulu could be a perfect script for any Bollywood flick—a boy from a humble background makes it big in politics and becomes a key player in the political affairs of a state.
The Reddy brothers —Gali Janardhan, Karunakara and Somashekhara were his childhood friends. By 1996, Reddys had burnt their fingers in their initial business M/s Ennoble India Savings and Investment Co. Ltd—a non banking financial company, which had been declared bankrupt by the RBI and were facing potential arrest following complaint from the depositors.
It was Sriramulu who bailed out Reddy brothers by using his well connected political network in the district. The 6.3 feet tall Sriramulu who belongs to the Valmiki community (a Scheduled Tribe) was a street rowdy and was the most trusted man of former minister and Bellary Congress leader M Diwkar Babu.
In fact he even worked as his Chauffeur before falling apart because of some personal differences. Then, he joined the BJP and successfully contested the Bellary Municipality polls. Well that was in 1996.
Fast forward to 2004: he defeated his mentor, Diwakar Babu and there after he never looked back until he was indicted in the Lokayukta report on illegal mining.
The Reddys and Sriramulu were deeply influenced by Telugu films and always modeled them on the lines of mega Star Chiranjeevi. With a very humble beginning, Sriramulu started living life of a king size when he saw big money in the iron ore export.
Today, he has emerged as unchallenged leader of his Valmiki community which has a sizable presence in the State. He even dreams to be a champion of the backward classes, dalits, the minorities and a true representative of the poor.
In fact, his mass marriages became an annual feature in Bellary since 2000 which were attended by Sushma Swaraj until she skipped the event in August this year.
Because of his clout among the Valmiki community and mass appeal among a section of voters—the backward class and the youth, Sriramulu started dreaming big. Janardhan Reddy on several occasions had claimed that his dream was to make Sriramulu a the first dalit Chief Minister of the State.
Sparks of a rebellion was first seen for the first time, when Srirammulu was moved out of Gadag as district in charge minister by former CM Yeddyurappa to accommodate his confidant and a fellow Lingayat CC Patil. Then came the biggest set back in July end this year when the Lokayukta report on illegal mining indicted the Reddy brothers and Sriramulu along with then Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa.
In the meanwhile, the legal knot was tightening around the Reddy clan and Sriramulu as the CBI made progress in their investigation on alleged illegal mining by their Oblampuram Mining Company.
Meanwhile, frustrated at being keep out of the Cabinet, the Reddy's tried to revolt against the BJP leadership in Karnataka. This time too, it was Sriramulu who was made to make the move by announcing his resignation giving ample indications of launching a new political outfit. This pressure tactics, however, awe-fully went wrong after Janardhana Reddy and his brother in law Srinivasa Reddy were sent to a 14 day judicial custody.
Now Sriramulu has no option other than withdrawing his resignation and falling in line with the party to survive the tough times.