Ending speculation over his political move, former Karnataka minister and mining baron G Janardhana Reddy announced a new party named ‘Kalyana Rajya Pragati Paksha’ on Sunday.
With this, the leader, an accused in an illegal mining case, has cut his two-decade-old association with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Reddy announced that he will contest the 2023 assembly polls from Gangavathi, in the Koppal district, outside his turf in Bellari. He said his party would follow the ideals of 12th-century social reformer Basavanna and fight against divisive politics based on caste and communal lines.
“Despite BJP leaders saying that I’m not a member of the party and have no relationship with it, the state and its people believed that I’m from that party. That belief has turned out to be false. Today I’m announcing Kalyana Rajya Pragati Paksha, with my thinking, with the thinking of Basavanna, which is against the divisive politics in the name of religion and caste,” Reddy said.
“I have never failed in any of my new initiatives so far in my life. From the days of playing marbles in my childhood, I’m someone who never accepted defeat. So, when I’m going before the people with Kalyana Rajya Pragati Paksha, confident about getting their blessings, and there is no doubt about Karnataka becoming a Kalyana Rajya (welfare state) in the future,” he added.
Reddy was politically inactive for nearly 12 years since he was arrested by the CBI in 2011for his alleged role in the mining scam.
Reddy, accused in a multi-crore illegal mining case, has been out on bail since 2015, and several conditions were imposed by the apex court in its order, including prohibiting him from visiting Bellari and Anantapur and Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh. Recently in October, the Supreme Court allowed Reddy to visit Bellary and stay till November 6 to meet his daughter after he had sought permission.
He had a brief stint ahead of the 2018 assembly polls when he campaigned for his close friend and now minister B Sriramulu in the Molakalmuru constituency.
However, he has been teasing his return to politics for the past few months. The BJP hasn’t responded favourably, which is said to have made him upset with the state leaders.
Indicating his wife’s political entry, in response to a question, he said, “My wife will work with me in organising the party and also in public life.”
He also said he would tour the state and come out with a manifesto and a plan regarding where the new party will contest the next assembly polls.
“In ten-fifteen days, I will announce the party flag and symbol, also come out with plans regarding manifesto and probably with some candidates,” he added.
Reddy and his brother-in-law B V Srinivas Reddy, managing director of Obalapuram Mining Company (OMC), were arrested by CBI on September 5, 2011, from Bellary and brought to Hyderabad.
The company is accused of changing mining lease boundary markings and indulging in illegal mining in the Ballari Reserve Forest area, spread over Bellari in Karnataka and the Anantpur district of Andhra Pradesh.
(With inputs from agencies.)
