<p>Late on Thursday night, the party announced P Gadilingappa as its official candidate. <br /><br />The BJP had been firm that it would field its candidate in the event of Sriramulu not contesting the bypoll on its ticket. However, it decided to open a channel of negotiation as there is apprehension in party circles that the government may face instability if the party loses the support of Sriramulu’s camp with around nine MLAs.<br /><br />However, when contacted by Deccan Herald, Sriramulu spiked rumours that he met State Party President K S Eshwarappa and former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa in Bangalore on Thursday.</p>.<p>Firm on decision <br /><br />Asked whether he had gone back on his decision to quit the BJP, he replied in the negative. “My decision is final. I never came to Bangalore. I am in Challakere. Why should I meet any BJP leader when I was humiliated?”<br /><br />To a question whether the BJP had promised not to field a candidate against him, he said: “Let the BJP do what it wants. I am not bothered.”<br /><br />He pointed out that the BJP government, on the day of accepting his resignation as MLA, sent back the mining report to the Lokayukta, finding some lacunae. <br /><br />“How can anybody justify this? The party wanted to finish me politically.”<br /><br />There were rumours that Sriramulu had arrived in Bangalore on Thursday evening and held talks with Eshwarappa and Yeddyurappa at a star hotel. <br /><br />As a backup measure, the BJP instructed two other candidates to file their nomination papers on Thursday - BJP National ST Morcha Secretary Nagendra Kumar and State ST Morcha President Ashok Kumar. <br /></p>
<p>Late on Thursday night, the party announced P Gadilingappa as its official candidate. <br /><br />The BJP had been firm that it would field its candidate in the event of Sriramulu not contesting the bypoll on its ticket. However, it decided to open a channel of negotiation as there is apprehension in party circles that the government may face instability if the party loses the support of Sriramulu’s camp with around nine MLAs.<br /><br />However, when contacted by Deccan Herald, Sriramulu spiked rumours that he met State Party President K S Eshwarappa and former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa in Bangalore on Thursday.</p>.<p>Firm on decision <br /><br />Asked whether he had gone back on his decision to quit the BJP, he replied in the negative. “My decision is final. I never came to Bangalore. I am in Challakere. Why should I meet any BJP leader when I was humiliated?”<br /><br />To a question whether the BJP had promised not to field a candidate against him, he said: “Let the BJP do what it wants. I am not bothered.”<br /><br />He pointed out that the BJP government, on the day of accepting his resignation as MLA, sent back the mining report to the Lokayukta, finding some lacunae. <br /><br />“How can anybody justify this? The party wanted to finish me politically.”<br /><br />There were rumours that Sriramulu had arrived in Bangalore on Thursday evening and held talks with Eshwarappa and Yeddyurappa at a star hotel. <br /><br />As a backup measure, the BJP instructed two other candidates to file their nomination papers on Thursday - BJP National ST Morcha Secretary Nagendra Kumar and State ST Morcha President Ashok Kumar. <br /></p>
