Bangalore: In a dramatic turn of events late Thursday night, the ruling BJP made frantic efforts to win back former minister B Sriramulu who had quit the party on Tuesday to seek re-election from Bellary rural constituency as an independent.

However, the efforts yielded no results with Sriramulu firm on his decision to part ways with the saffron party. As a result, the party was forced to field P Gadhilingappa, a low profile leader from Bellary, as its candidate.

According to sources in the party, state BJP leaders, after realising the damage that Sriramulu could cause to the party, made serious efforts to bring him back to the party fold. The fact that more than 10 MLAs were supporting Sriramulu also prompted the party leaders to negotiate with the Valmiki community leader who has a mass following in three-four districts around Bellary. State BJP president K S Eshwarappa, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, former CM B S Yeddyurappa and other senior leaders were huddled in a series of meetings throughout Thursday on Sriramulu’s issue.

Initially, Sriramulu responded positively to the party’s request and landed in Bangalore on Thursday evening, thus giving hopes to the party. Party sources even informed media that chances of Sriramulu’s return were bright. But Sriramulu stuck to his decision and rejected the party’s request to return.

“I have moved very far and at this junction I can’t come back to the party,” Sriramulu is said to have told party leaders.

Sriramulu had on Tuesday resigned from the primary membership of the party and filed nominations as an independent. He even wrote to BJP national president Nitin Gadkari blaming the state leaders for his decision to quit the BJP. – EB