CHITRADURGA: Remember Gali Janardhan Reddy who would create a lot of buzz during every major election? This time, the former mining czar has been quiet and people are not heard talking much about him either.
Reddy has been away from public glare after the BJP denied tickets to two of his staunch supporters and former Lok Sabha members — J Shantha in Ballari and Sanna Phakirappa in Raichur. The increasing influence of Belagavi’s Jarkiholi brothers on Ballari appears to have edged Reddy out of the political centre stage in the district.
The fact that the BJP has given tickets to Devendrappa, father-in-law of former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi in Ballari, and Raja Amaresh Nayak in Raichur shows that the saffron party is slowly removing the clout Reddy and his MLA friend B Sriramulu have had in the region, according to observers.
During last assembly elections, Reddy had not only created space for himself in the BJP, but also worked actively for Sriramulu’s victory in Molakalmuru constituency, although party president Amit Shah had publicly disowned him saying it had no connection with him.
To make matters worse for him, Reddy was seen as one of the reasons for the BJP’s defeat in Ballari in the parliamentary by-election held last year.
Reddy had stated that former chief minister Siddaramaiah’s son Rakesh had died because of his curse as the Congress strongman had “troubled me badly when he was in power”. The controversial statement had received a lot of brickbats not only from the rival parties but also from the BJP.
Not just in Karnataka, Reddy has not been seen in action in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh too. He supported YSR Congress, but did not campaign for his supporter Kapu Ramachandra Reddy who is contesting from Rayadurg assembly constituency. The former minister’s farmhouse near Hanagal was cleaned up for his stay for electioneering. But, he did not turn up there.
Yashas Keerthi, a close aide of Reddy, said, “Janardhan Reddy was doing back end works in Andhra Pradesh elections in Kadapa and Anantapur. Currently he is staying in Hyderabad and is likely to campaign for the BJP in North Karnataka districts where polling will be held on April 23.”
Vain bid to enrol in voter list in Gadag
Reddy who is banned from entering Ballari district tried to enrol his name in the electoral roll at Gadag recently. He provided the address of a house rented by Sriramulu near Gadag Bus Stand, but election officials rejected his application saying the documents given by him were faulty.