It’s hard to narrate Karnataka’s recent political history without a mention of the Bellary brothers. The mining magnates they are, the Reddys are the cynosure of all action in state — be it the ruling BJP or the Opposition parties, or to Raj Bhavan to the Congress in the Centre.
Sons of a police head constable, the Reddy brothers had no income to pay their tax seven years ago. Today, they possess deep pockets and wield influence. It is not just to assume power that Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has depended on these brothers: Karunakara Reddy, the eldest of the three brothers holds the revenue department; Janardhan Reddy, the second brother, is a MLC and tourism Minister, Somashekhar Reddy, MLA, heads the Karnataka Co-operative Milk Federation and their brother-in-arms B Sriramulu is health and family welfare minister. The foursome even ensures the present dispensation’s stability.
Ironically, these are the same people who brought Yeddyurappa down to his knees in September last year — and made him sacrifice two of his trusted aides: Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Shobha Karandlaje and Principal Secretary V P Baligar. Yeddyurappa wept during a press conference as he divulged the reason: a trade-off to continue in power.
The all-powerful Shobha, as a minister, had decided to take on the Reddys by holding a review meeting of the revenue department to ascertain relief works in North Karnataka’s floods in September last year. Incensed, the Bellary biggies mobilised strength against the CM by banking on people who were waiting for an opportunity to vent their ire against Yeddyurappa but had no collective political strength to take on Shobha. The dissidents demanded Yeddyurappa’s head, but finally settled for the best available compromise: remove Shobha and Baligar, who were described as ears and eyes of the chief minister.
The picture has changed of late. Recently, Yeddyurappa announced openly in the presence of the Reddy brothers that he was trying to induct Shobha back into his Cabinet. Now, they are in trouble with the Congress (after the death of Y S Rajasekhara Reddy as Andhra Pradesh chief minister on September 2 last year) making efforts to nail them in illegal mining cases. So, for now, the magnates are more concerned with safeguarding their business interests rather than stopping Shobha’s return as minister, say party insiders.