Thaindian News

Bellary, Aug 12 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari Friday virtually ended the hopes of mining barons, the Reddy brothers, of becoming ministers in Karnataka again till they are cleared of allegations of illegal mining.

“Ministerial post is not permanent in politics,” Gadkari said at a function in the presence of the Reddys in this iron-rich district, their political stronghold, about 300 km from Bangalore.

The BJP president told them that several people in the party had lost ministerial posts.

“But the party workers continue to work with enthusiasm. Ours is a party of dedicated workers,” he said inaugurating a mass marriage function organized by Reddy loyalist and former health minister B. Sriramulu.

G. Janardhana Reddy, elder brother G. Karunakara Reddy and Sriramlu lost their ministership July 31 when scam-hit chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa quit.

The BJP’s first chief minister in south India too was named in the illegal mining scam by Lokayukta (ombudsman).

Since then the Reddys have been unsuccessfully lobbying with Gadkari and other central leaders for cabinet posts for themselves and Sriramulu, in the D.V. Sadananda Gowda ministry which took office Aug 4.

They have also been trying to get their youngest brother G. Somashekara and some of their supporters in the Gowda ministry.

Gadkari praised Yeddyurappa’s “pro-people programmes” during his 38-month as chief minister. “I am satisfied with them,” he said.

Besides the Reddys and Sriramlu, Yeddyurappa was present at the function in which 180 couples from Bellary and neighbouring districts of Koppal, Chitradurga and Raichur tied the knot.