Corruption-Charged mining baron Somashekara Reddy to contest from Bellary

Bellary: Former minister of BSY government, Mining Baron Gali Janardhan Reddy’s younger brother Gali Somashekara Reddy has become the surprise candidate from BJP who will contest Bellary city Assembly Constituency. BJP released its second list of 82 candidates for the upcoming Karnataka elections released this evening and the inclusion of Gali Somashekhara Reddy for Bellary City Assembly constituency surprised everyone and drew immediate jeers from the Congress.

Iron ore-rich district of Bellary was home turf the Reddy brothers of whom fifty-two-year-old G Somashekhara Reddy is the youngest. Since BJP wants to win the Bellary City Assembly constituency, they have “made a compromise” by pitting Reddy, said BJP state spokesman Vivek Reddy.

Former minister and Mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy was previously removed from his position from BSY government after massive corruption charges involving illegal mining in 2011 were laid against him. Somasekhara Reddy, who represented Bellary in the assembly, is accused of bribing a judge in the cash-for bail case that involved Janardhan Reddy. He is currently out on bail.

Immediately after the BJP second list of candidates was out, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted “BREAKING! Amit Shah’s prophecy of Yeddyurappa Govt being the ‘Most Corrupt’ ever in Karnataka is coming true- Janardhan Reddy’s brother Somshekar Reddy gets BJP ticket! Krishnaiah Setty is also a BJP candidate, who was accused with BSY in land scam.”

Speaking about the party’s two senior leaders who have been given ticket this time from Shivaji Nagar and Malur BJP state joint spokesperson Vivek Reddy said, “Katta Subramanya Naidu and Krishnaiah Shetty were not given any seats in the last assembly elections because they were facing criminal charges. They have now been acquitted.”

“I think the party has made one compromise in order to ensure that we win the seat… it is not across the board like Congress… there are 67 complaints against Siddaramaiah,” he added regarding Somashekara Reddy.

G Janardhan Reddy had spent three years in prison, got out on bail and hosted a spectacularly expensive wedding reception for his daughter in 2016, weeks after the government announced notes ban. The cost of the function varied from 30 to 500 crore rupees. The function included replicas of famous temples and 50,000 guests.

BJP declared its first list of 72 candidates on April 8^th. The list included its chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa, and senior leaders KS Eshwarappa and Jagadish Shettar.