The re-entry of Gali Janardhan Reddy, the founder of Kalyana Rajya Pragathi Paksha (KRPP) and its only MLA, into BJP seems to have infused a new enthusiasm in the rank-and-file of the party in and around Ballari ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
The BJP leadership was initially cold to Mr. Reddy’s open overtures. His alleged voting for Congress in the recently concluded Rajya Sabha election further pointed to the widening gap between the BJP and him, but the mining baron has now been embraced by the party.
Win-win situation
Mr. Reddy’s inner circles believe that his association with BJP will give him relief from a bunch of criminal cases, including serious ones related to illegal mining, filed by central agencies.
From the BJP’s point of view, Mr. Reddy’s return would help it gain the lost ground in and around Ballari. It was with the help of Mr. Reddy that the BJP could make inroads into Ballari, once the Congress’ stronghold. However, it subsequently lost ground after Mr. Reddy got entangled in a series of illegal mining cases and landed in jail. Mr. Reddy’s absence in Ballari following a court order and the prolonged judicial proceedings paved the way for Congress resurgence here.
Boon to Sriramulu
When Mr. Reddy was gradually sidelined and eventually forced to quit BJP, his close friend and prominent Valmiki leader B. Sriramulu did not follow him. This had shattered Mr. Reddy’s plans of building his new political outfit on two pillars – his money power and Mr. Sriramulu’s community support. KRPP’s performance in the last Assembly election was dismal, with him being the only victor.
His associates say that combination of Mr. Reddy’s money and Mr. Sriramulu’s community support now with the BJP will create a scenario similar to what existed in 2008 Assembly election in which BJP emerged as a single largest party with 110 seats.
Though much water has flown in Tungabhadra since, the Reddy-Sriramulu combination is expected to make a difference in Ballari, Koppal, Raichur and Chitradurga segments. It is certain a boon to Mr. Sriramulu, the BJP’s candidate for Ballari, who had lost the last Assembly elections with a margin of over 29,000 votes.
Reddy’s influence has eroded: Congress
Congress sources said that G. Janardhan Reddy’s influence is not comparable to what it was 10 years ago and will not make much impact in Lok Sabha elections. “His party KRPP contested from 40 seats in the last Assembly elections and got only around 1,45,000 votes. He was the only candidate to win the election with a margin of just 6,000 votes. Since he had said that he had nothing to do with the BJP in his election campaign, the OBC community members supported him. Otherwise, he would have lost. If he was so powerful, how could his wife suffer a humiliating defeat against a Congress candidate with a margin of over 37,000 votes? His weakness is the reason for his voluntary approach to the BJP. He is neither helpful to BJP nor a threat to Congress now,” claimed a Congress source in Ballari.
