Ballari: The defeat in Ballari district is a big loss for the Reddy brothers. Sweeping the Congress again in the district will cost them not only financially but also politically.
During the 2008 assembly elections, the BJP won eight of the nine seats in the combined Ballari district. But, in 2023, the Congress won all five seats in Bellary and two seats in the newly formed Vijayanagara district. BJP has only one seat left.
Ballari district was once a stronghold of the Congress. AICC President Sonia Gandhi contested the 1999 Lok Sabha elections from here. The Reddy brothers later became powerful in the district, which helped the BJP win the 2008 elections. Mining was booming and mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy, along with his brothers Somashekara Reddy and Karunakara Reddy and close aide B Sriramulu, strengthened the party and their charisma.
As a result, the BJP won eight out of nine seats in the district in the 2008 elections, leaving only one seat for the Congress. Political equations had changed in the 2013 elections. Janardhan Reddy went to jail. BS Yediyurappa and B Sriramulu formed their own political parties. All these factors weakened the BJP in Bellary.
The Congress improved its tally by winning four of the nine seats, leaving two for the BSR and just one each for the BJP and the JD(S).
In the 2018 elections, all the dissident leaders came back to the BJP fold, which helped the party win four seats and the Congress five. Later, with the bifurcation of the district, Ballari and Vijayanagara got five seats each. However, within five years things have changed. Now, Congress has won all five seats in Bellary and two seats in Vijayanagar. The BJP managed to win only one seat, while the other two were won by the JD(S) and an independent.
Somasekhara Reddy, Karunakara Reddy, Gali Janardhana Reddy’s wife Lakshmi Aruna and B Sriramulu have lost.
The lone winner is Gali Janardhana Reddy, who won from Gangavathi in Koppal district. Since they have been barred from entering Ballari district, the chances of a revival of the Reddys’ past glory do not seem imminent.
During the 2008 assembly elections, the BJP won eight of the nine seats in the combined Ballari district. But, in 2023, the Congress won all five seats in Bellary and two seats in the newly formed Vijayanagara district. BJP has only one seat left.
Ballari district was once a stronghold of the Congress. AICC President Sonia Gandhi contested the 1999 Lok Sabha elections from here. The Reddy brothers later became powerful in the district, which helped the BJP win the 2008 elections. Mining was booming and mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy, along with his brothers Somashekara Reddy and Karunakara Reddy and close aide B Sriramulu, strengthened the party and their charisma.
As a result, the BJP won eight out of nine seats in the district in the 2008 elections, leaving only one seat for the Congress. Political equations had changed in the 2013 elections. Janardhan Reddy went to jail. BS Yediyurappa and B Sriramulu formed their own political parties. All these factors weakened the BJP in Bellary.
The Congress improved its tally by winning four of the nine seats, leaving two for the BSR and just one each for the BJP and the JD(S).
In the 2018 elections, all the dissident leaders came back to the BJP fold, which helped the party win four seats and the Congress five. Later, with the bifurcation of the district, Ballari and Vijayanagara got five seats each. However, within five years things have changed. Now, Congress has won all five seats in Bellary and two seats in Vijayanagar. The BJP managed to win only one seat, while the other two were won by the JD(S) and an independent.
Somasekhara Reddy, Karunakara Reddy, Gali Janardhana Reddy’s wife Lakshmi Aruna and B Sriramulu have lost.
The lone winner is Gali Janardhana Reddy, who won from Gangavathi in Koppal district. Since they have been barred from entering Ballari district, the chances of a revival of the Reddys’ past glory do not seem imminent.