BJP gives new life to Reddy brothers

The decision of the BJP to accommodate Gali Somashekhara Reddy, younger brother of in famous mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy who was jailed and on bail for illegal mining has given impetus to politics in republic of Ballari. According to political observers the decision to accommodate brother Somashekhara Reddy from Bellary is expected to change the politics in Hyderabad Karnataka region and also gave new lease of life to Janardhana Reddy who is craving to come back to politics. This will certainly change the politics in that part of Karnataka and might impact overall political scenario of the State either way.

In one of the press conferences at the side-lines of an election campaign at Mysore recently BJP national president Amit Shah had ruled out readmitting Janardhana Reddy back to BJP. Janardhana Reddy was a minister in Yeddyurappa cabinet and was credited  to bring first ever BJP government in the south of India in 2018.  Gali Janardhana Reddy who rose to fame all of a sudden was in jail for several years in illegal mining case. He was also credited to decimate congress in the Hyderabad Karnataka region.

According to a close aide of Reddy he has been talking to many political leaders and consolidating his support to BJP in this area. The decision of the BJP to accommodate his younger brother has given new political lease of life for Reddy and might change his political fortunes.

Somashekhara Reddy told the media in Ballari that his brother Janardhana Reddy has contributed to the development of the region and still people adore him. There was also some reports that Reddy brothers were thinking of supporting JDs and this  decision has made them to be in saffron party.

According to sources  Ballari MP B Sriramulu worked behind the scenes and managed to persuade the party high command to give one more chance to them. Sriramulu has been projected as the next ST leader from the party next to Yeddyurappa .

According to insiders Sriramulu wields a lot of influence in three districts – Chitradurga, Ballari  and Raichur, bordering Andhra Pradesh. The BJP does not want to lose seats by continuing to shun the Reddys, say party insiders.

Along with G Somashekhara Reddy, their close associate Sanna Fakkirappa has also got BJP ticket from Bellary rural. Somashekhara Reddy will be contesting from Bellary City against Congress’ sitting MLA Anil Lad, whom he had defeated by a slender margin of 1000 votes in 2008.

The ruling Congress has strongly reacted to BJP fielding Reddy clan in the Assembly elections. Congress spokespersons, including Randeep Singh Surjevala and Priyanka Chaturvedi, have attacked the BJP questioning their commitment “corruption free Karnataka”.

Gali Janardhana  Reddy spent  almost four years in Hyderabad and Bengaluru jail in connection with the Rs 50,000-crore mining scam and  disappeared from public life. The Supreme Court banned  Reddy’s entry to Bellary. Sriramulu,  stood by him and this has given him hope of a  new political consolidation.

Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde indicted him in the mining scam, the CBI sent him  to jail and Janardhana Reddy had spent  in prison for more than four years.

During the 2013 Assembly elections BJP  suspended him from the  party and  his close confidante B Sriramulu had floated his own party called BSR Congress which had won three seats in that election. In  2014, the two breakaway factions of the state BJP — Yeddyurappa’s KJP and BSR Congress — returned to the parent party and helped the Lotus symbol win 17 out of 28 Lok Sabha seats from the state.

Janardhana Reddy in 2016 all off a sudden rose to lime light in November 2016 after performing a mega wedding  for his daughter at Bengaluru Palace and all top BJP leaders had attended it.