Mining baron to enter Ballary city after 14 years as SC gives nod

Former BJP minister Gali Janardhana Reddy on Monday announced that he would be visiting Ballary on October 3, coinciding with the start of the Navaratri festival following a Supreme Court order in this regard. 

Speaking to media representatives at the BJP state office, Jagannath Bhavan, in Bengaluru, he expressed that he was emotionally connected with Ballary.

"After 14 years, the Supreme Court has granted me permission to visit Ballary. I will remain in Ballary until my last breath,” he stated and added that he would visit various prominent temples there to offer prayers.

"Our hometown is more important to us than any other place, as the elders say," Reddy stated and added that he was planning to first visit Gangavathi, where he would seek the blessings of Lord Hanuman and meet with the people of his constituency.

The MLA described himself as a loyal worker of the BJP and said the party would decide where he should contest in the future, and he would follow that decision.

Talking about challenges, he said, "When we face difficulties, we remember Lord Narayana and Lord Ramachandra. If they were not free from hardships, what does that make us?"

He maintained that he had done many good things for Ballary, and the people were aware of it.

During B.S. Yediyurappa’s tenure as Chief Minister, significant development work had taken place in Ballary, he noted.

In response to another question, Reddy expressed his wish for the development of Ballary and said he would work hard in the coming days to fulfill the aspirations of the people there.

Reddy was arrested on illegal mining charges by the CBI on September 5, 2011. Considering his influence and destruction of evidence he was prohibited from entering Ballary and two districts of Andhra Pradesh without prior permission.

After being refused a ticket by the BJP, Reddy floated his own party Karnataka Rajya Pragathi Paksha (KRPP) and won from Gangavathy seat in the 2019 Assembly elections. Though he supported the Congress party in the Rajya Sabha election, on March 25 merged his party with the BJP.