Janardhana Reddy's party won't affect BJP's chances in Karnataka: Transport Minister

Ballari: Karnataka Transport Minister B Sriramulu on Friday said the Kalyana Rajya Pragati Paksha (KRPP) party launched by his long-time friend and mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy would not affect the BJP’s prospects in the ensuing Assembly elections in the state.

Sriramulu, who is an influential Valmiki leader and the Ballari in-charge minister, exuded confidence that the saffron party would win more than 30 seats in the Kalyana Karnataka region.

Kalyana Karnataka region has 41 Assembly constituencies. The region comprises of seven districts -- Kalaburagi, Bidar, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal, Ballari and Vijayanagara districts.

Sriramulu said the BJP would win all 10 Assembly seats in Ballari and Vijayanagara districts.

Ballari is Janardhana Reddy 's political backyard. A former BJP minister, Janardhana Reddy has been barred by the apex court from entering Ballari in Karnataka as well as Anantapur and YSR Kadapa districts in Andhra Pradesh, in connection with an illegal mining case.

Janardhana Reddy then severed ties with the BJP and floated a new party KRPP.

Ballari was under his political grip, and the announcement of a new political outfit is by-and-large seen as an attempt by him to reassert his political credentials.

When asked about the possible electoral impact of Janardhana Reddy’s new party eating into BJP votes, Sriramulu told PTI here: “Janardhana Reddy avaru has floated his own party. But BJP has been strong always. In Kalyana Karnataka, the BJP is going to win more than 30 seats out of the 41 Assembly segments”.

Sriramulu, an MLA from Molakalmuru in Chitradurga district, who is contesting the Assembly polls from Ballari Rural constituency said he was fully confident of winning.

“We are putting in efforts to win all the 10 Assembly seats in Ballari and Vijayanagara districts and are confident that the BJP will emerge victorious in all 10 seats. It (KRPP) will not have any impact because BJP is strong right from the beginning. The BJP government took up developmental works and people know about it,” he said.

Asked about Janardhana Reddy’s statement that the KRPP would win at least 25 Assembly segments in the elections, Sriramulu replied: “He is elder. I will not comment”.

Reacting to the decision of former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and former deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi to quit the BJP after the party decided not to field them in upcoming elections, Sriramulu said, “In politics certain decisions are taken...I don’t know had they waited they might have got some big posts. I feel that it would have been good if they had had some patience”.

“Sometimes, opportunities have to be made for new entrants in politics. I don’t know (if) due to it such (deciding tickets and fielding candidates) decisions were taken," he added.

Asked about why he shifted from Molakalmuru, Sriramulu said, "I had given him (BJP candidate S Thippeswamy) my word that I will not contest from there (Molakalmuru) this time. I have won six times from here (Ballari). I left from there and I'm contesting from here. I am confident that I will win.”