Ballari spells trouble for Yediyurappa, yet again

During BS Yediyurappa's 38-month tenure as Chief Minister of Karnataka, his troubles had mostly originated from the mining district of Ballari. Almost eight years later, Ballari once again has become a thorn in the flesh for Yediyurappa with arguments for and against bifurcation of the district threatening to throw his newly formed administration, off-balance. 

Bifurcation of Ballari?

Reliable sources have confirmed to Republic that disqualified MLA, formerly representing the Vijayanagara constituency in Ballari has put forth the demand of bifurcation of the mining district as a condition for standing for elections on a BJP ticket. Anand Singh reportedly met Yediyurappa in the former’s residence earlier this week and asserted his demand for carving out of Vijayanagar district from Ballari. Aware of the apprehension many within the BJP have on this contentious issue, Yediyurappa wanted to wait till after the upcoming by-polls to take a decision on this. Not to be persuaded, Singh has put forth bifurcation as a precondition to contest the by-polls on a BJP ticket, putting Yediyurappa in a bind. 

READ | Conspiracy To Unseat Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa? BJP MLA's Big Claim

The Reddy brothers have been vociferously opposing bifurcation of the district they have had a firm grip on for decades now. Their close aid and the health minister in Yediyurappa cabinet, B Sreeramulu, resisting the move had said, "In districts like Gadag, Koppal and Yadgir, there has hardly been any development after bifurcations. I believe that the development of Ballari is possible only if it remains undivided. Bifurcating Ballari is not allowing it to progress." The youngest of the Reddy brothers, G Somashekhara Reddy who is the Bellary City MLA had called those demanding the split ‘selfish’. He went on to say that people are making these demands only to fulfil their political ambitions and not thinking of people of the district who want to be united. 

READ | Karnataka Cong In Fix Over Selection Of State Leader Ahead Of Election

G Karunakara Reddy, the BJP MLA from Harapanahalli had also taken on the Chief Minister publicly after Yediyurappa had made a statement intending to implement the split. Echoing the sentiments of his brother, Karunakara Reddy said, ‘only people with vested interest have made this demand and the chief minister has succumbed to the pressure without even consulting the MLAs from the district. If the split is implemented, it will disturb the region’.  In 2011, the Reddy brothers, who were believed to have been the money-bags of the Karnataka BJP, were the principal reason for Yediyurappa to step down as CM. Although, in 2019, after their fortunes both financially and politically have depleted, the combative issue of Ballari could once again spell trouble for Yediyurappa.

READ | MK Stalin Urges Karnataka CM Yediyurappa To Drop The Mekedatu Project

READ | Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa To Order CBI Probe Into Alleged Phone Tapping Under HD Kumaraswamy: 10 Things To Know