Are the Bellary Reddy brothers on shaky ground?
by Gabriel Vaz
Daijiworld Media Network

BANGALORE, AUG 5: Perhaps for the first time, the Bellary mining lords – an euphemism for the all powerful Reddy Brothers – seem to be showing signs of nervousness leading to questions being asked in political circles on whether they are on shaky ground.

Consider some of the recent developments and how things happened in the past:

• When the B S Yeddyurappa regime was gearing up to celebrate its first anniversary in office, the Reddy Brothers – notably Tourism and Infrastructure Minister G Janardhana Reddy, Revenue Minister G Karunakara Reddy and the youngest G Somashekara Reddy, then just an ordinary MLA, and many of their ministerial supporters and legislators – were conspicuous by their absence.
• But when the same Yeddyurappa regime observed its second anniversary in office – almost a month later – all the Reddy brothers and their supporters were in full attendance. One might argue that the self-acknowledged ``Amma” of the Reddy brothers was the chief guest and they were duty-bound to attend to show their obedience.
• The Reddy brothers also participated in the Global Investors’ Meet organized by the Yeddyurappa regime with all fanfare. In fact, theirs was the single largest investment proposal.
• The same Reddy brothers dutifully attended the mammoth backward classes convention, in which BJP national president Nitin Gadkari was the chief guest.
• One might explain that all the three above events from Sadhana Samavesha to mark the 2-year rule, Global Investors’ Meet and Backward Classes convention or Swabhimani Samavesha were organized one after the other and Reddy brothers could not have avoided them.
• However, the same Reddy brothers were the targets of the controversy over Lokayukta Justice N Santhosh Hegde’s resignation and subsequent withdrawal (which erupted on the eve of the Sadhana Samavesha) and during the disastrous session of the State Legislature marked by day-and-night dharna in both houses by the opposition parties for five consecutive days and the shameful incidents during the session, the mysterious disappearance of 5 lakh tonnes of seized iron ore from the Belekeri port in Uttara Kannada district, the Yeddyurappa regime’s acceptance most of the demands of Justice Hegde and the subsequent Bangalore-Bellary Chalo Yatra demanding a CBI probe into the entire illegal mining scam among other things by the state Congress leaders.
• Yet, when the Reddy brothers sought to counter the Congress yatra by organizing a Bellary-Mysore Chalo yatra to culminate in Congress opposition leader Siddaramaiah’s Chamundeshwari assembly constituency in retaliation of the Congressmen entering their home turf of Bellary, the move was shot down without even any explanation.
• Not just that. The Yeddyurappa regime went ahead and announced the blanket ban – ostensibly for a temporary duration till the Lokyukta completed its probe into illegal mining since year 2000 and also transport of iron ore within the state. Though the Reddy brothers are known not to possess any mining license or indulge in any mining activities in Karnataka, they are widely alleged to be carrying out clandestine mining activities through `benami’ outfits and transport the same outside the state borders for export from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu or Goa ports. Thus, the entire set of actions were aimed at curbing the Reddy brothers and the latter were forced to `welcome’ the step.
• Yet another incident is the decision of the Reddy brothers to carry out a limited yatra within Bellary, which was frowned upon by no-less-a-person than the chief minister himself and even the state party chief K S Eshwarappa, who later changed his stand. In fact, Excise Minister M P Renukacharya, who is no paragon of virtue by any stretch of imagination and owes his position mostly due to the dissident activities of the Reddy brothers, went to the extent of publicly condemning their yatra and the shaving off the head of Health and Family Welfare Minister B Sriramulu. Renukacharya had the audacity to mobilize several MLAs behind him and the entire gag even dared to meet Yeddyurappa demanding action against the Reddys.
• However, there were hardly any supporters to the all powerful Bellary mining lords. They were virtually isolated with the number of MLAs supporting them reduced to half-a-dozen. In fact, some of the MLAs, who showed their presence when Sriramulu and Reddy brothers launched their padayatra, quietly did the vanishing act in a matter of days. The Reddy brothers, who could pack off almost 60 MLAs to posh hotels in Hyderabad or Goa during the dissident war hardly a year ago, were unable to get support from anybody. Even ministers like Balachandra Jarkiholi and Vasant Asnotikar, who were among the trusted lieutenants of the Reddy brothers, disassociated themselves.

If these incidents were not enough to discern the growing vulnerability and shaky status of the Reddy brothers, consider these latest developments:

• The entire Reddy gang, including Sriramulu, had to dutifully attend the recent Davangere Samavesha organized by Yeddyurappa and Eshwarappa – though they failed to even greet the Chief Minister.
• Incidentally, Eshwarappa went to the extent of hinting that BJP was not averse to joining hands with JD(S) yet again if necessary to meet the Congress challenge. Though the move was later denied, one never knows what may happen. The Reddys have already climbed down from their ivory towers. Did they not?
• Also, Janardhana Reddy, who had refused to meet Yeddyurappa last year during the height of the dissidence war and had to be finally persuaded by the ``Amma” to relent, had to come all the way to Bangalore by helicopter to meet the Chief Minister. Ironically, the same Yeddyurappa returned the compliment by making Janardhana Reddy to wait for the meeting, according the published newspaper reports.
• Further, Janardhana Reddy was forced to meet even a small fry like Eshwarappa and later go to Keshavakrupa, RSS headquarters in Bangalore. That the mighty Janardhana Reddy had to stoop to such low levels, which they had never done in the past, is clearly proof of their growing sense of isolation and nervousness. Unless the mighty Reddys are on shaky grounds, it is difficult to even imagine such developments.

Why this is happening? Is the noose tightening for the Reddys? The Lokayukta has already indicated that he needs to investigate into illegal transportation of iron ore from Karnataka to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. The CBI is already investigating into the illegal mining in Andhra Pradesh. The case pertaining to illegal mining and tampering of borders is before the Supreme Court. The Election Commission is also hearing the petitions seeking disqualification of the mining lords on the office of profit issue. The chief minister, who could never dare to even raise his little finger against the Reddys in the past, is showing signs of breaking free and exhibiting his independence as he probably anticipates full backing from the BJP central high command, particularly L K Advani and Nitin Gadkari as also from the RSS bosses in Nagpur. Is the Chief Minister planning to act against the Reddy brothers, including axing one or two from the cabinet? Are more bombshells in store not just for the Reddy brothers but also the Congress and JD(S) leaders? Time alone should answer all these and many other questions. After all, anything is possible in politics.