Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru (DC)
Bengaluru, Apr 28: While Janardhana Reddy's re-emergence continues to prick the national BJP ahead of the Karnataka polls, party president B S Yeddyurappa has come out in strong defence of the mining baron, saying that his presence would 'help' the party.
"Janardhana Reddy of Ballari and others though troubled me when I was the chief minister; I have pardoned them in the interest of the state," BJP chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa has said.
In an interview with ToI, BSY said, "Not only Reddy, many have troubled me when I was CM. I have forgotten it and pardoned them all in the interest of the state. To win Ballari and neighboring seats the BJP is relying on ST leader B Sreeramulu, and not Reddy."
Talking to NDTV, Yeddyurappa said Janardhan Reddy will support the BJP in two or three districts, adding that "it will be helpful for us".
Yeddyurappa clarified in his interview to ToI that Reddy was supporting party candidates in some districts ahead of assembly polls and the BJP has not given any ticket on Reddy's instance. He also denied reports that the BJP had decided to make Sriramulu as the deputy chief minister.
When asked about dissent within the party and supporters over younger son Vijayendra missing party ticket, Yeddyurappa said that Veerashaiva-Lingayats were not upset with denial of ticket to his son in Varuna. He further said that the Congress will pay the price for attempting to divide Lingayat-Veerashaivas.
Commenting on recent surveys which showed Congress emerging as the single largest party in assembly polls, BSY said that all the surveys will be proved wrong and the BJP will wrest power from the Congress.
He also dubbed the reports that the PM Modi took a break from campaigning in Karnataka as he was not confident of winning Karnataka as false.
Hitting out at Yeddyurappa over his statement on Reddy, Siddaramaiah took to Twitter asking him three questions, including his authority to 'pardon' him.
"Very interesting! @BSYBJP has pardoned Reddy in interest of state. 1. Which interest of Karnataka is served by pardoning someone who looted thousands of crores of Kannadigas’ wealth? 2. Is it upto you to pardon him? 3. Did you ask PM Modi to direct CBI to formalise the ‘pardon’?" he tweeted.
It may be recalled that BJP president Amit Shah himself has tried to keep distance from the Reddy brothers, and cancelled his Ballari rally on April 27. There are reports that PM Modi would also follow suit. The BJP leaders at the national level have repeatedly insisted that Janardhan Reddy was not campaigning for BJP, and that he was campaigning for Sriramulu on his personal capacity as his friend.