Former Minister and mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy, who spent several years in jail over corruption charges, is reportedly considering joining Congress party as several pre-poll surveys conducted in Karnataka have predicted victory of the CM Siddaramaiah-led ruling party again.
New base
According to sources, Reddy and his brothers who had played a key role in previous BJP government in Karnataka, are leaving no stone unturned to make a political comeback in the state. Following the restriction imposed by the Supreme Court that he should not enter Ballari district, Janardhana Reddy and his aides are planning to take accommodations on rent in the taluk, which borders Ballari district.
They are on the lookout for suitable places to strategise for the Assembly election in their district. As per reports with the police, they have zeroed in on S R Farmhouse near Thammenahalli, the house of Dr M P Venkatesh en route to Kelaginahatti, Amruth Hotel in Rampura and a farm in Shirekola.
The promoters of Amruth Hotel said Reddy’s aides had told them that they would like to take the building on rent for three months. But they are yet to get to the promoters of the hotel.
Possibility can’t be ruled out
Meanwhile, not ruling out the possibility of Janardhan Reddy joining the Congress, Karnataka Labour Minister Santosh Lad has said that being the country’s oldest and world’s one of the largest political parties, the Congress had many doors and exits.
Speaking to presspersons in Hubballi on Thursday, Mr. Lad said that he was not aware of any such development, but as the Congress was a big political party with a long history, anyone could come in and go out of it.
To a query on how he would consider any such development as he was one among those who fought against illegal mining and the Reddy brothers, Mr. Lad clarified that their fight was against a political party and not against any individual.
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