It’s an open secret now. Tainted Gali Janardhana Reddy is back in business with the BJP. Reddy who was jailed and after his exile gave a jumbo entry to the BJP ahead of May 12 polls. He made his entry dramatic on Saturday at Molakalmuru constituency in central Karnataka where his trusted aide B Sriramulu of BJP filed his nomination.
Not only that it was as dramatic as his style with full throttle entry along with BJP chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and host of other leaders of the party. But recently at a Press conference in Mysuru BJP national president Amit Shah had clearly disowned Janardhana Reddy and said BJP had nothing to do with him.
This is the first time BJP strongman Yeddyurappa and other senior leaders publicly appeared on a party platform with Janardhana Reddy after he came out of jail on bail. It was a scene to be watched that Reddy even went to the extent of falling at Yeddyurappa’s feet and later hugged him in the presence of Shivaraj Singh Chouhan and other BJP leaders. He blasted Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and called him Siddaravana. He also said that he would bring back saffron party.
BJP has given tickets to his brothers Somashekhara Reddy and Karunakara Reddy and now Janardhana Reddy is back in the helm of Ballari politics which might change the dynamics of Karnataka politics.
Gali Janardhana Reddy, who has been keeping a low profile ever since the mining scam broke seven years ago, sharing the dais with the party stalwarts, thus making a statement that the Reddy brothers are back in BJP in full force is also a leaded statement.
The question now doing rounds is with the full circle play of Ballari brothers would it help the saffron surge in central Karnataka which they had lost to the Congress in 2013. Reports say Reddy and Sriramulu still wield influence in five Hyderabad districts and this might help the party garner some seats to help the party to decimate the Congress. In 2008 elections Reddy was responsible for the formation of first BJP government in the south. The tainted mining baron was keeping a low profile and now after seven years back in action identifying with the saffron party.
A BJP leader on the condition of anonymity said it was a known fact that he was with the party. “ We knew that he has been with us. We need him to defeat the congress in that part of the state. This election also very significant for him to come to play his politics,” he added.
Janardhan Reddy, Karunakar Reddy and Sriramulu were ministers in the Yeddyurappa government. But the mining scam changed the political fortunes of the Reddy brothers. Janardhana Reddy was jailed and he is now out on bail. With the Supreme Court banning Janardhana Reddy from entering Ballari, Chitradurga is the ideal destination for him and Hanagal house is the hub of all the activities of BJP in Central Karnataka, which has 55 seats in the state assembly.
The BJP leaders say that the assertion of the party to make B Sariramulu deputy chief minister if party comes to power is one of the main reasons for Reddy to take active part in BJP. This is also an opportunity for him to come back to power.
Gali Janardhana Reddy’s younger brother Somashekhara Reddy who has been given a ticket from BJP to contest in Ballari says that his brother still wields influence in that area and help party to get many seats in adjoining constituencies.
It is said that Reddy has got seats for his supporters like Suresh Babu, Sanna Pakirappa, and others in Ballari , Hadagli, Hagari Bommanahalli and Sirguppa.
The three brothers sons of a constable rose to fame in 1999 when they put their might behind Sushma Swaraj who took on Sonia Gandhi in that high profile elections. But former lokayukta justice Nitte Santosh Hegde’s report on illegal mining has indicted Janardhana reddy was in jail for almost four years. He is back in action and this might alter political landscape of the state which is crucial for both the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP.