BALLARI: Former minister and Hosapete (Vijayanagar) legislator B S Anand Singh on Saturday emulated Kudligi MLA B Nagendra, skipping ‘Parivarthana rally’ led by state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa in his home turf, Hosapete, on Saturday.
Mr Singh’s decision to skip the rally is apparently another instance of the once powerful Reddy mine lords and their close confidante Ballari MP B. Sriramulu losing control over party affairs in the district.
Party sources said Mr Yeddyurappa tried till the last minute to convince Mr Singh to attend the rally in his home constituency, but the former tourism minister along with the party's Hosapete unit office bearers did not turn up. The rally was attended by former CM Jagadish Shettar, Mr Sriramulu and other leaders.
Mr Yeddyurappa, however, maintained that Mr Singh did not attend the rally because of some 'unavoidable personal reasons and was still with the party.
Besides, he said “Anand Singh has requested me to postpone yatra in Hosapete as he is busy with personal work, but we decided to go on as per the itinerary of Parivartan Yatra. Definitely, the party will hold a massive rally along with Anand Singh shortly".
Sources said Mr Singh was miffed with Mr Sriramulu and some other leaders in the district as they allegedly propped other leaders in Hosapete. "A local businessman, Kishore Pattikonda, recently joined the party despite Mr Sriramulu's opposition. Now, a section of BJP leaders with the support of Mr Sriramulu is spreading a propaganda that party will not give ticket to Mr Anand Singh. Instead, Mr Kishore will be the candidate. Hence, he is upset with party's state leadership which did not try to stop this propaganda against him", said sources close to Mr Singh.
