A Ballari brother makes news again, but BJP not too worried about Janardhan Reddy

While a perennial feature of elections in Karnataka, new parties have had little impact on the outcome of the polls in the state, save for the Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) launched by B S Yediyurappa in 2013 after a fallout with the BJP. The KJP ended up splitting the BJP vote in several Lingayat-dominated constituencies in Kalyana Karnataka, Kittur Karnataka and old Mysuru region, helping the Congress secure a clear majority in the state.

The Reddy family also wields significant influence in some districts of Kalyana Karnataka region. However, this will be severely curtailed now as their friend B Sriramulu, who was projected as a deputy chief minister ahead of the 2018 Assembly polls, is firmly entrenched in the BJP and holds the Transport Ministry portfolio. Without the backing of Sriramulu, the impact of Janardhan Reddy’s KRPP is likely to be restricted to a few constituencies.

It is also unclear whether the two Reddy brothers in the BJP will change their affiliations to their middle sibling Janardhan Reddy’s party come the 2023 general Assembly elections.

“Reddy’s influence is limited to parts of Ballari, Vijayanagar (part of undivided Ballari), Raichur, Koppal and Gadag district. Even his victory in Gangavathi is not certain,” an insider said. Sources added that while the party might split the BJP votes in some constituencies, it could also do the same to the Congress in a few others.

A BJP leader said that Janardhan Reddy might have dominated the mining mafia due to money and muscle power once, but “to think that he has the same influence in the region is immature”.

A bigger concern for the BJP would be rumours swirling among some party units in the region that the KRPP has the backing of Yediyurappa. Despite his elevation to the BJP’s Parliamentary Board, Yediyurappa remains miffed over his unceremonious ouster as the CM back in July 2021.

However, as per a party leader, the BJP expects to ride that one out too. “Their impact will be negligible at best,” a functionary said.

The party is expecting at the most a few followers of Janardhan Reddy and those acquainted with him in a few districts to follow him to the new party. There are also chances that rebels from the BJP and Congress could seek the KRPP ticket if denied nominations. But, on the whole, the impact will stay limited.

Sources close to Janardhan Reddy said he aims to field candidates in more than 30 constituencies, in four-five districts, banking on “support among youth”, and his caste backing.

Then there are some who insist that Janardhan Reddy could return to the BJP fold just ahead of the Assembly elections next year. Sources said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has already reached out to the other two Reddy brothers to convince him against promoting the new party, and that the CM could discuss the issue during his visit to Delhi this week.