Takes oath as Independent MLA on Wednesday; declines to announce when his new party will be floated.
Former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa is content to take a backseat in the legislative assembly, but B Sriramulu, his former ministerial colleague who entered legislative assembly as an Independent, does not want to emulate his former leader.
Sriramulu, who took oath as member of the assembly on Wednesday, said he had demanded that the Speaker allot him a seat in the front row. “I have already written to the Speaker in this regard,” he said, expressing displeasure over allotment of a seat in the back row.
“I have been elected as an MLA twice. I have been a minister twice. My seniority has been ignored and I have been allotted a backbench in the assembly. I have written to Speaker KG Bopaiah to allot me a seat in the front row,” said Sriramulu.
He sought the blessings of Yeddyurappa after entering the assembly. A smiling Yeddyurappa gave Sriramulu an affectionate hug and wished him success in his new innings as an MLA.
Sriramulu lashed out at BJP leaders for suspending BJP MLAs who supported him during the Bellary Rural by-poll. “Why hasn’t disciplinary action been taken against party leaders who abstained from LK Advani’s public rally while party bosses have turned against MLAs who supported me?” he asked.
Sriramulu declined to announce a timeframe for the formation of his proposed party.
“I will meet my friend and former minister Janardhana Reddy in Hyderabad on Thursday to discuss the issue. The final decision will be announced after that,” he said.
Earlier, Sriramulu along with BJP legislators B Nagendra, Somashekar Reddy, TH Suresh Babu, C Mruthyunjay Jinaga, and MPs Sanna Pakkirappa and J Shantha, took part in a procession from Bannappa Park to Gandhi statue near Freedom Park as a show of strength. Thousands of supporters, who arrived from Bellary and Gadag districts, took part in the procession.
The procession had to be cut short as prohibitory orders were in force around the roads leading to Vidhana Soudha. The procession disrupted traffic on Race Course Road and Kempe Gowda Road, causing inconvenience to motorists.
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