Javagal Srinath denies joining BJP

Both Javagal Srinath and the BJP denied Monday reports that the former India cricketer had joined the party ahead of Lok Sabha polls. A section of the online media had reported Monday that Srinath, a former ICC referee and a Karnataka State Cricket Association official until recently, had joined the BJP. A section of the evening Press in Bangalore also reported that he could take on the might of the Deve Gowda family in its home turf of Hassan as a BJP candidate in parliament polls. “I do not know how these reports generated. I have not joined the BJP,’’ Srinath said. BJP spokesperson in Karnataka S Prakash also denied the reports. “We have put out a denial. The news was generated by a tweet by a member of Namo Brigade. Srinath has not joined the party. It would have been widely publicised otherwise.’’ Sources in the BJP said Namo Brigade had been campaigning for the candidature of Srinath from Hassan in the Parliament polls.