Mining baron Reddy keen to contest polls, but will BJP oblige?
- Former minister and mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy is active again
- He is keen to contest Assembly elections
- If not the ticket, he is ready to serve the party in any capacity, it is learnt
FollowForming minister and mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy - who was away from state politics while he was in jail - seems to be keen to return to politics. Speculations are rife that the former minister has expressed his interest to contest the Assembly elections, scheduled for next year. However, the chances are highly, unlikely, it is said.
Recently, the Karnataka High Court had quashed money laundering cases filed by Enforcement Directorate against Reddy. This is said to have bolstered Reddy to try his hand at the hustings, once again. Reddy was earlier a member of Legislative Council but now he wants to enter the Legislative Assembly.
After making his daughter's marriage a talk-of-the-town for its lavish display of wealth, Reddy is now slowly touring various districts to gather people's opinion about his return, reports Kannada Prabha. Reddy has been restricted from entering Bellary district. But this has not deterred Reddy, at all. He is quietly touring neighbouring districts, Raichur, Bagalkot, Gadag, Chitradurga, Kolar and Chikkalballapur districts where Reddy community is dominant. Rumours are rife that Reddy may contest from one of these districts.
In fact, to reinstate his presence, Reddy had invited both state and national leaders for his daughter's wedding. While the state leaders attended the wedding, national leaders - especially Sushma Swaraj, whom the Reddy brothers termed as their godmother - skipped the wedding.
But can the party afford to field him, considering that some cases against Reddy are still being tried in the court? Since, most of the cases are of grave nature, the party does not want to become a fodder for Opposition parties, said party sources. Instead, the party wants his services in strengthening the party, it is learnt. Besides, the party has no objection to field Reddy brothers - Karunakar Reddy and Somashekhar Reddy - for, the duo face no corruption charges. Also, the party has Reddy's close aide, MP B Sriramulu. Keeping these things in mind, the party is said to be treading cautiously.
