Karnataka by-poll: Will Reddy's clout in Ballari fetch Sandur seat for BJP?

With mining baron and MLA Gali Janardhana Reddy having his way in Sandur, one of the three Assembly seats where byelections are due in Karnataka, the Congress and the BJP are locked in a stiff battle that each is determined to win.

Ignoring over 15 other claimants, the BJP picked Bangaru Hanumanthu to contest from Sandur in Ballari after Reddy, who returned to the party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, promised to reclaim the seat from the Congress, come what may.

Hanumanthu will thus be pitted in a straight contest against Congress candidate E Annapura, wife of sitting MP E Tukaram. Sandur is one of the three Assembly constituencies which will see by-elections on November 13.

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Sanduru is a town in Ballari district, considered the bastion of Janardhana Reddy and his

Reddy pressures BJP

A senior BJP leader told The Federal that Reddy wanted the ticket to be given to either Hanumanthu or KS Diwakar, both his close aides. He promised to wrest the constituency, widely seen as a Congress stronghold.

The BJP had another reason to opt for Hanumanthu. He heads its ST Morcha in Karnataka. It is felt that he can take on the Congress over the alleged misappropriation of funds of Valmiki Corp by state minister B Nagendra.

After the BJP on Saturday picked Hanumanthu, Reddy took it upon himself to kickstart the campaign and shifted base to Sandur taluk.

Reddy campaigns in Sandur

He has begun to campaign for Hanumanthu along with his brother Somashekara Reddy. Significantly, Reddy, who faces allegations of illegal mining in Ballari, was allowed to enter the district by a court.

Also read | Karnataka: Political slugfest over mining in Sandur eco-sensitive forest

But Reddy has run into a spot of problem, as his loyalist Diwakar is upset that he was passed over in the candidate selection.

BJP sources told The Federal Diwakar lost the BJP ticket during Assembly elections in 2018 and 2013. He contested for the Kalyana Rajya Pragati Paksha (KRPP) floated by Reddy in 2023 and secured 32,000 votes but lost to the Congress.

Diwakar has told confidants that he plans to contest as an independent this time from Sandur. “If he enters the fray, there is a possibility the BJP votes will get divided,” a BJP leader admitted.

Reddy’s KRPP hurt BJP

According to party sources, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief JP Nadda have understood the key role played by Reddy in strengthening the party in Ballari besides adjoining regions like Koppal, Chitradurga and Raichur.

After distancing from the BJP in December 2022, Reddy founded his KRPP in the run-up to last year’s Assembly polls. He dented the prospects of the BJP in some constituencies where his influence remains intact despite all the charges he faces. Reddy supported the now-ruling Congress in the Rajya Sabha battle.

In March this year, Reddy merged the KRPP into the BJP. Realizing that antagonizing Reddy would prove costly, the BJP decided to pick his man in Sandur.

Naturally, the Congress camp looks worried over the possible impact of his coming back to Ballari — which is a witness to Reddy’s rise and fall and was once widely considered his stronghold.

Reddy and Ballari

The Sandur electoral battle is Reddy’s first after a gap of nearly 14 years. He appears to be pinning his hopes based on the 80,000 votes polled by the BJP in this constituency in the Lok Sabha elections.

Also read | Mining baron Janardhana Reddy takes on BJP in ‘Republic of Bellary’

Although some political observers say Reddy has lost his influence over the years and will now make little or no impact in district-level politics, BJP leaders have reposed faith in him.

And if Hanumanthu does cause an upset, the Sandur by-election might change the fortunes of Reddy.

Environmentalists’ worry

Environmentalists, however, fear that mining activity will get a boost with the re-entry of Reddy into Ballari politics.

Also read: JSW Steel deal | Mining controversies, Karnataka CMs go hand in hand

Already, a battle is on over the mining lease extended to the Kudremukh Iron Ore Corp Ltd (KIOCL) between the Centre and Karnataka.

The Congress government in Karnataka allotted 474 hectares of forest land in Devadari forest area in Sandur taluk to KIOCL in January 2017 following an approval from the Centre in December 2016. Under pressure from ecologists, the Congress government said ‘no’ to the mining.