With another political drama unfolding in Karnataka, BJP strongmen from Ballari – Reddy Brothers have threatened a mass stir opposing Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa’s plan to carve out a new district, Vijayanagar out of the existing Ballari district.
While the resource rich district has for long been under the strong arm control of the mining barons weaker sections of the region have faced problems because of the extensive geographical spread of the district. Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa had also pointed out that some of the regions in the district were 200 km away from the headquarters creating problems for farmers, economically backward sections, labourers and others living in taluks farther away to travel for official work.
On the other hand the mining barons have claimed that this move to bifurcate Ballari is being done to play in favour of the dissenting Congress MLA Anand Singh, a former close associate of the mining czars, who had jumped ships in January 2018 to the Congress. MLA Anand Singh was one of the first to revolt against the Congress-JD(S) government in the state demanding the formation of Vijayanagar District in July earlier this year. Anand Singh who was the tourism minister in BJP regime from 2008 to 2013 has also claimed that formation of the new district will certainly boost the tourism in the area where UNESCO World Heritage Site Hampi is also located; which had once served as the capital of the great Vijayanagar empire.
Nonetheless, for Reddy Brothers this move by BS Yediyurappa government is sure to undermine their long standing hold on the resource rich district. “Chief Minister Yediyurappa should not bifurcate Ballari district only because Anand Singh made that a reason and resigned… What will he (Yediyurappa) do if four other BJP MLAs resign opposing bifurcation?” G. Somashekhar Reddy, the BJP MLA from Ballari, had told reporters. Health and Family Welfare Minister and close associate of Reddy Brothers B Sreeramalu had downplayed in his opposition to formation of the new district and claimed to raise the issue in the next cabinet meeting where the final decision regarding the bifurcation is expected to be taken.
Moreover, if the Karnataka government moves ahead with the proposal it is sure to be a major setback for the mining brothers who have been under the scanner for serious charges of financial and other irregularities. The case involving Obulapuram Mining Company where CBI had to resort to satellite images to uncover huge amounts of iron ore stacked illegally around the said mining company owned by G Janardhana Reddy.
While the promoters of the mining company had claimed the iron ore to have been mined from Obulapuram mines investigations had later revealed that a large quantity of the iron ore had been transported illegally from mines close to the Karnataka-Andhra Pradesh border. A CBI source had then claimed that the satellite images had indicated that “iron ore from other mines had been carted to Obulapuram mines and shown as an OMC product,” the source said.
Name of the mining baron had also surfaced in connection to a Ponzi scheme. According to then Bengaluru City Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar, a company, Ambidant had promised people 40% returns on their investments. Many people fell into the trap and invested money but never got any returns. Reports had claimed that one Enable India Company, owned by Reddy, had received 57 kg gold bars from Ambidant Company. Media reports had also surfaced alleging that Reddy struck an Rs 21 crore-deal with an Enforcement Directorate officer to save Ambidant Company involved in the Ponzi scheme.
However, now with Reddy poised to lose their hold over the resource rich region given bifurcation of the district, it is sure to play well for Anand Singh who represents the Vijayanagar assembly constituency for the upcoming bypolls pending SC decision and for once end the monopoly of the Reddy brothers from Ballari.
Of the 11 taluks, five – Ballari, Kurugodu, Siraguppa, Sandur and Kudligi – are proposed to be part of Ballari district, while six other taluks – Hosapete, Kampli, Hagaribommanahalli, Kottur, Hadagali and Harappanahalli – will constitute the new Vijayanagar district.