Daijiworld Medis Network - Bengaluru (DC)
Bengaluru, Apr 17: The BJP which is trying to wrest power in the upcoming assembly elections promisng corruption-free government has courted controversy after it issued a ticket to tainted G Somashekhara Reddy, youngest of the Reddy brothers involved in illegal mining cases of 2011.
After releasing the second list on Monday April 16, the BJP said that it made one 'compromise' and decided to field Reddy to ensure that they win the Ballari seat. "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," said state BJP spokesperson Vivek Reddy.
Interestingly, BJP's list with Reddy's name came out just a day after the party attacked the Congress for fielding 'tainted' candidates.
File Photo
The Congress which has been criticizing the BJP over its chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa in its campaigning was quick to react. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala referring to to a recent slip of tongue by BJP chief Amit Shah during a meeting, tweeted, "BREAKING! Amit Shah's prophecy of Yeddyurappa Govt being the 'Most Corrupt' ever in Karnataka is coming true."
Vivek Reddy following criticism said that party has "avoided drafting" any candidate convicted of corruption. "Katta Subramanya Naidu and Krishnaiah Shetty who have been given the tickets this time from Shivajinagar and Malur, missed the last Assembly elections because they were facing criminal charges. They have now been acquitted."
Though Amit Shah publicly gave a statement that the BJP had nothing to do with tainted Gali Janardhana Reddy, the move to field latter's brother who is accused of bribing a judge in the cash-for-bail case that involved Janardhana Reddy and is currently out on bail has raised eyebrows. Krishnaiah Setty, a BJP candidate from Malur was an accused along with Yeddyurappa in land scam.
Following massive corruption charges involving illegal mining in 2011, mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy was removed from B S Yeddyurappa's cabinet. After spending three years in prison, Reddy is out on bail. He was under attack from the opposition parties for holding lavish wedding of his daughter weeks after the central government announced note ban.