Bangalore: Keep Low Profile - RSS to Reddy
Bangalore, Aug 5 (DC): When things start going wrong for the BJP, the first to sit up and take notice are those in the RSS. Tourism minister Janardhan Reddy should know that better than anyone else, having been in and out of a crunch situation more than once in the past.
On Wednesday, it was Reddy’s turn to knock at the RSS doors for an audience to present his side of the story and make sure he remained in their good books. He did his best to undo the damage, explaining all that he and his family had done for the party and how they had worked to expand the BJP base in south India.
He did not spare the Opposition parties or the media, claiming that they had been targeting him unnecessarily on the illegal mining issue. The RSS leaders, who have been keeping a close watch on the Reddy saga of the past few weeks, reportedly advised him that the best thing to do in the present circumstances, was to maintain a low profile. Sources said that during the three-hour long meeting, they issued a list of ‘dos’ and ‘donts’ to the Reddys saying the controversy involving them, had overshadowed the good job done by the state government.
The onus was now on the Reddys to set right the image, the leaders who included RSS state chief M.C. Jayadev said. They were unanimous in their view that the three Bellary ministers — Janardhan and Karunakar Reddy and B. Sreeramulu — should focus on work pertaining to their ministries to get rid of the impression that they did not care enough for government work, the sources added.
Mr Janardhan Reddy reportedly defended his family saying they had nothing to do with illegal mining. He explained in detail how he had worked to bring the party to power. “We had no roots in Raichur, Koppal and Gadag. We managed to build a strong base in all these places,” he said.
It was the first meeting between RSS leaders and Mr Reddy after he met Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Tuesday. Reddy had then told the CM that he would not go out of the BJP even if the party initiated disciplinary action against him and his family. He repeated this before the RSS leaders saying he and his family were totally committed to the BJP and its ideology and would never betray the party.
The meeting seems to be having its effect. Taking a break from his yatra in Bellary, health minister B. Sreeramulu has convened a meeting of his department on Thursday while Mr Reddy will engage in a similar exercise on Friday.