Published Mar 24, 2024 | 8:42 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 24, 2024 | 8:42 PM
Mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy. (Creative Commons)
Mining baron and lone MLA of Karnataka Rajya Pragathi Paksha (KRPP) G Janardhana Reddy on Sunday, 24 March, said he would rejoin the BJP on 25 March.
The KRPP founder said he took the decision to make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister for the third time.
“After consulting my supporters, I took the decision. Tomorrow at 10 am I am rejoining BJP,” he told reporters in Bengaluru.
Reddy said he would support the BJP candidate from Ballari Lok Sabha constituency, B Sriramulu, whom he called a boy raised by him.
Sriramulu, a former minister, lost the Assembly election from the Ballari Assembly segment in 2023.
Reddy was a minister in the BJP government headed by BS Yediyurappa and was jailed in the mining scam.
He had distanced himself from the BJP and founded the KRPP.
In the 2023 Assembly election, he was instrumental in the defeat of his two brothers, G Karunakara Reddy and G Somashekara Reddy, who were BJP candidates from Harapanahalli and Ballari City respectively.
Reddy fielded his wife Aruna Lakshmi against his brother and BJP candidate Somashekara Reddy in Ballari City and ensured his defeat. Congress candidate Nara Bharath Reddy won from there.
In the Rajya Sabha elections held on 27 February, he supported Congress.
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