tourism minister karnataka 2023

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Karnataka cabinet list 2023: Full list of ministers and their portfolios

Karnataka cabinet ministers full list: after the karnataka electorate gave a thumping majority to the congress, siddaramaiah and dk shivakumar were sworn-in as the cm and deputy cm respectively..

Karnataka ministers, portfolios: The Congress came to power in the state bagging 135 seats in the elections that were held on May 10, and counting of votes on May 13, ousting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which secured 66 seats. After much suspense over who would be the Chief Minister of the state, with the contenders including former CM of the state Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president DK Shivakumar, it was decided that Siddaramaih will hold the reins of the party again, following hectic consultations with the party high command.

Siddaramaiah was sworn-in as the CM of the state, while DK Shivakumar took oath as his deputy on May 20. Along with the two leaders, eight other ministers , including, G Parameshwara, K H Muniyappa, K J George, M B Patil, Satish Jarkiholi, Priyank Kharge, Ramalinga Reddy and B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, also took oath on the same day.

On Sunday, the Karnataka Cabinet got its full strength as Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot administered oath to 24 ministers at the Vidhan Soudha in Bengaluru. With the induction, the Cabinet gained its full strength of 34 in the 224-member Karnataka Legislative Assembly, with Lakshmi Hebbalkar being the sole Cabinet minister.

On Wednesday, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Priyank Kharge will once again be in-charge of Information Technology and Biotechnology (IT & BT) department in the state, with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah affecting a minor re-allocation of portfolios to his cabinet. Meanwhile, minister M B Patil has been given the additional charge of Infrastructure Development.

Karnataka ministers list and their portfolios:

-Chief Minister Siddaramaiah – Finance, Cabinet Affairs, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Intelligence, Information and all unallocated portfolios

-Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar – Major and Medium Irrigation and Bengaluru City Development

-G Parameshwara – Home Department (excluding Intelligence)

-MB Patil – Large and Medium Industries, Infrastructure Development

-KJ Geroge – Energy

-HK Patil – Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Legislation and Tourism

-KH Muniyappa – Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs

-Ramalinga Reddy – Transport and Muzrai

-Dinesh Gundu Rao – Health and Family Welfare

-HC Mahadevappa – Social Welfare

-Satish Jarakiholi – Public Works

-Krishna Byregowda – Revenue (excluding Muzrai)

-Priyank Kharge – Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Information Technology and Biotechnology (IT & BT)

-Shivanand Patil – Textiles, Sugarcane Development and the Directorate of Sugar, Agricultural Marketing from the Cooperation department

-BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan – Housing, Wakf and Minority Welfare

-Sharanabasappa Darshanapur – Small-Scale Industries and Public Enterprises

-Eshwar Khandre – Forest, Ecology and Environment

-N Cheluvarayaswamy – Agriculture

-SS Mallikarjun – Mines and Geology, Horticulture

-Rahim Khan – Municipal Administration and Haj

-Santhosh S Lad – Labour

-Laxmi R Hebbalkar – Women and Child Development and the Disabled and Senior Citizens Empowerment

-Sharanaprakash Rudrappa Patil – Medical Education and Skill Development

-RB Timmapur -Excise

-K Venkatesh – Animal Husbandry and Sericulture

-Shivaraj Tangadagi – Backward Class, Kannada and Culture

-D Sudhakar – Planning and Statistics

-B Nagendra – Youth Services, Sports and ST Welfare

-KN Rajanna – Co-operation (excluding agriculture marketing)

-Suresha BS – Urban Development and Town Planning (excluding Bangalore City Development)

-Mankal Vaidya – Fisheries and Ports, Inland Transport

-Madhu Bangarappa – Primary and Secondary Education

-MC Sudhakar – Higher Education

-NS Boseraju – Minor Irrigation, Science and Technology

In the bitterly-contested and often vitriolic election campaign punctuated by barbs like “vishkanya”, “venomous snake”, and intense debates on the state government scrapping 4 per cent reservation for OBC Muslims, as well as the hijab controversy and the proposed ban on Bajrang Dal which rocked the southern state, the Congress emerged victorious, winning 135 seats, almost doubling its tally of 69 it had in the outgoing Assembly. The BJP , which had 116 MLAs, could only win 66 seats, while the JD(S) saw its tally drop from 29 to only 19 MLAs this time.

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List Of Karnataka Ministers 2024- Siddaramaiah Cabinet Ministers And Portfolios

Looking for the list of Karnataka ministers? Find the portfolio of Karnataka cabinet ministers 2024. The congress party has won the recent elections.

Siddaramaiah is the 24 th and the new chief minister of Karnataka while DK Shivakumar take charge as the deputy chief minister. This is Siddaramaiah’s second terms as the CM of Karnataka.

There are 34 ministers in the cabinet. Find below the full list of Karnataka cabinet ministers and their portfolio.

List Karnataka Cabinet Ministers 2024 – Recent Update

• Siddaramaiah is the new chief minister of Karnataka.
• DK Shivakumar is the Deputy CM of the state.
• Rotational tenure of two-and-a-half years for both the leaders
• 34 ministers in the cabinet

Read: Basavaraj Bommai Cabinet Ministers List

Full List Of Karnataka Ministers 2024 – Siddaramaiah Cabinet Ministers

Find below the full list of 34 Karnataka ministers, their portfolios and constituencies.

List Of Karnataka Ministers 2024 – Download PDF

View and download the list of Karnataka ministers in PDF format .

List Of Karnataka Ministers 2024 – Highlights

Find below the full list of Karnataka cabinet ministers.

• Governor : Thawar Chand Gehlot
• Chief Minister : Siddaramaiah
• Ruling Party : Indian National Congress (INC)
• Number of Ministers : 34
• Total cabinet capacity : 34
• Deputy CM: DK Shivakumar
• Speaker : U. T. Khader 

Full List Of District Incharge ministers In Karnataka

• DK Shivakumar – Bengaluru City
• G Parameshwara – Tumakuru 
• H K Patil – Gadag
• K H Muniyappa – Bengaluru Rural
• Ramalinga Reddy – Ramanagara
• K J George – Chikkamagaluru
• M B Patil – Vijayapura
• Dinesh Gundu Rao – Dakshina Kannada 
• H C Mahadevappa – Mysuru
• Satish Jarkiholi – Belagavi district
• Priyank Kharge – Kalaburagi
• Shivanand Patil – Haveri
• B Z Zamir Ahmed Khan – Vijayanagara
• Sharanabasappa Darshanapur – Yadgir
• Eshwar Khandre – Bidar
• N Cheluvarayaswamy – Mandya
• S S Mallikarjun – Davangere 
• Santosh Lad – Dharwad
• Dr Sharan Prakash Patil – Raichur 
• R B Thimmapur – Bagalkote
• K Venkatesh Chamarajanagara
• Shivaraj Thangadagi – Koppal
• D Sudhakar – Chitradurga
• B Nagendra Ballari
• K S Rajanna – Hassan
• B S Suresh – Kolar
• Laxmi Hebbalkar – Udupi
• Mankal Vaidya – Uttara Kannada
• Madhu Bangarappa – Shivamogga
• Dr M C Sudhakar – Chikkaballapura 
• N S Boseraju – Kodagu

Ministers In Karnataka 2024 – Some FAQs

Find below answers to all your questions related to list of Karnataka Ministers in the Siddaramaiah government.

Which Party is in power in Karnataka?

Currently, the INC (Indian National Congress) is in power in Karnataka.

How may Deputy CMs are there in Karnataka?

Currently, there is one Deputy CM in Karnataka – DK Shivakumar. Elected from Kanakapura constituency, he is also the Karnataka party president and handles Major & Medium Irrigation and Bengaluru City Development departments.

Who is the Labour Minister of Karnataka?

Santosh S Lad is the Labour Minister of Karnataka in the 2 nd Siddaramaiah cabinet. He is elected from Kalaghatagi constistuency.

Who is the current Karnataka Chief Minister?

Siddaramaiah (INC) is the current Chief Minister of Karnataka. This is his second term as the CM of Karnataka. He governed the state from 13 May 2013 to 17 May 2018 as the 22 nd CM. Siddaramaiah is elected from Varuna constituency.

Who is the Karnataka home minister?

G Parameshwara is the current Karnataka home minister. The portfolio is excluding intelligence and CM Siddaramaiah handles the intelligence department. G Parameshwara is elected from the Koratagere constituency.

Who is the present education minister of Karnataka?

The following ministers handles the education department in Karnataka: 1. Madhu Bangarappa – Primary education 2. Dr. MC Sudhakar – Higher education 3. Dr. Sharanaprakash Rudrappa Patil – Medical education

List Of Karnataka Ministers Source : karnataka.gov.in

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State to unveil new tourism policy by January 2024: Tourism Minister

Mysore/Mysuru : Karnataka Tourism Minister H.K. Patil has announced that the State Government is set to unveil a new tourism policy by the end of January 2024 with the aim of revitalising tourism in Karnataka. The policy is being designed to ensure the provision of basic infrastructure at all tourist spots, fostering both public and private participation in the adoption scheme of monuments.

Speaking at the launch of a new logo, tagline, mascot and a blog commissioned by the Department of Tourism at an event held at the Zilla Panchayat Mysuru, Minister Patil said that that the new tourism policy aims to resolve interdepartmental disputes between the Union and the State Governments, as well as differences among various stakeholders, historians and officials involved in promoting tourism activities.

Providing details on heritage conservation and adoption, the policy is expected to emphasise the State’s rich history, culture, heritage, wildlife and natural beauty. The new tourism policy will also prioritise education tourism, agriculture tourism, weekend adventure and wildlife tourism and religious tourism.

Patil highlighted the presence of over 25,000 monuments of historical and heritage significance in Karnataka. However, the Government has thus far notified only 856 such monuments for conservation, protection and promotion. He pledged to notify an additional 500 monuments next year, taking measures for their protection.

Acknowledging the limitations of the State Government in protecting all historically significant monuments, Minister Patil announced plans to involve private firms, NGOs, civil society organisations and public participation in their conservation, particularly those with tourism potential.

He revealed that in a recent virtual meeting with tourism stakeholders, over 25 NRIs residing abroad, including the United States, expressed interest in adopting and protecting these monuments.

Stolen idols to be brought back

Patil pledged a concerted effort by the Government to recover stolen idols and artefacts of the state, currently scattered across various parts of the world. He expressed concern over 72 sculptures and idols, potentially more exquisite than those in existing temples, reported stolen and on display in museums in England. The Minister assured a serious approach to recover these artefacts, working closely with the Department of Archaeology Museums and Heritage.

In his address, Deputy Commissioner Dr. K.V. Rajendra said that the District Tourism Development Committee is gearing up to enhance the allure of the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Keshava Temple in Somnathpur. 

The Committee is diligently crafting an action plan to facilitate tourist facilities and promote the UNESCO site effectively. The detailed plan is currently in progress and will soon be submitted to the Government for consideration, said the DC.

The 13th-century Keshava Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site since September 2023, shares this distinction with Chennakeshava Temple at Belur and Hoysaleswara Temple at Halebidu under a serial nomination.

He expressed the Committee’s intention to ensure that both international and domestic tourists visiting Mysuru are well-informed about Somnathpur and encouraged to explore its historical significance. Similar initiatives are in the pipeline for other destinations, promising more unveilings from the Committee.

The DC revealed a comprehensive action plan, directed by District Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, has been prepared by the District Heritage Committee for promoting tourism and ensuring basic amenities at all tourist spots while safeguarding heritage monuments. The plan will be submitted to higher authorities soon.

The DC emphasised that Mysuru will be promoted as a year-round destination, transcending the Dasara season. While iconic sites like the Palace and Zoo are well-known, the city has more to offer, and these sites will be developed and promoted accordingly. In all, there are 24 places of tourist interest in Mysuru, he noted. 

The event was attended by MLAs Darshan Dhruvanarayan, D. Ravishankar, MLC C. Manjegowda, Zilla Panchayat CEO K.M. Gayathri, DCP (Crime and Traffic) Jahnavi, Tourism Department Joint Director M.K. Savitha, Department of Archaeology Museums and Heritage Commissioner A. Devaraju and others. 

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Tourism Department

Shri Basavaraj Bommai

Hon’ble chief minister of karnataka.

Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka (Department) established in 1974, is vested with the responsibility to develop and promote Karnataka Tourism. Department is continuously endeavoring to promote Karnataka Tourism by developing new tourism destinations, fostering new tourism projects and by participating in national and international tourism trade fairs, investors’ meet, road shows, theme campaigns, etc. Department is bestowed with the responsibility of drafting and implementing enabling tourism policies to ensure growth and sustainability of tourism in the State. Department promotes Karnataka Tourism both nationally as well as internationally through its sustained promotion campaigns.

There are 4 government undertakings functioning under the Department of Tourism, namely Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation Limited (KSTDC), Jungle Lodges and Resorts Limited (JLR), Karnataka Tourism Infrastructure Limited (KTIL) and Karnataka Exhibition Authority (KEA), Mysore.

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Karnataka is a state in Southern India. Karnataka is best known for its software industry and now biotechnology.

Karnataka Cabinet Ministers – Siddaramaiah Government (2023)

May 29, 2023 by Jolad Rotti

The Karnataka government can have 34 ministers. Shri Siddaramaiah the chief minister of Karnataka assumed office for the second time on May 20, 2023. Shri DK Shivakumar (Dy CM) and 8 cabinet ministers were sworn. On May 27, an additional 24 Ministers took oath. The portfolios were assigned on May 29, 2023.

On May 31, CM allocated IT & BT portfolios to Shri Priyank Kharge and Infrastructure Development to Shri MB Patil.

• District In-charge Ministers – Siddaramaiah Government (2023)
• Cabinet Ministers & District In-Charge under various Chief Ministers of Karnataka
• List of Karnataka Chief Ministers
• Personalities of Karnataka

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Private sector to adopt 550 monuments, commit ₹ 500 crore to develop tourism in Karnataka, says Minister HK Patil

Karnataka tourism minister announced that the private sector will adopt 550 monuments, committing ₹500 crore for tourism development..

Karnataka Tourism Minister HK Patil on Friday announced that 550 monuments will be adopted by the private sector with the government working as a facilitator adding that the private sector has voluntarily committed ₹ 500 crore for developing tourism in the state.

"Minister unveiled a government plan to protect, conserve, and develop nearly 550 monuments available for 'adoption.' These monuments, which include temples, churches, mosques, and other heritage sites, will be opened for tourism, creating opportunities for investment and employment generation. The innovative program is set to launch on September 25," an official statement said.

Addressing the curtain-raiser event for the 'Dakshin Bharat Utsav,' which is scheduled to take place from December 14-16 in Bengaluru, HK Patil said, "Even though some ventures may not be profitable, they will provide a unique global experience. With Karnataka boasting four UNESCO-recognized heritage sites, including the recent addition of Belur, Halebidu, and Somanathapura of the Hoysala architecture, alongside Hampi, Pattadkal, and the Western Ghats, the state anticipates increased visitor numbers."

READ | Hampi Utsav to be held in February next year, says Karnataka Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan

He also emphasized Karnataka's diverse tourism offerings, encompassing heritage, adventure, beach tourism, pilgrimage, and environmental attractions.

Kapil Mohan, the Additional Chief Secretary of Karnataka, welcomed the 'Dakshin Bharat Utsav' concept and stressed the need for southern states to collaborate in promoting tourism. He highlighted the untapped potential of the Western Ghats, the expansive Deccan Plateau spanning multiple states, and numerous heritage sites for tourism-friendly projects.

In his welcome address, FKCCI President, BV Gopal Reddy, announced the upcoming 'Dakshin Bharat Utsav' from December 14 to 16 at the Bangalore Palace Grounds, designed to showcase the rich cultural and historical heritage of South India.

"This event promises significant investment opportunities in tourism and serves as a platform for small and medium enterprises to invest in tourism-related activities across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, and Puducherry, thereby stimulating revenue generation and job creation," he said.

READ | World heritage tag to Hoysala temples: Here's what CM Siddaramaiah said…

Reddy further emphasized that Karnataka, as the host of this summit, possesses numerous heritage sites that can be developed as tourist destinations without compromising their historical significance.

"The state proudly boasts UNESCO World Heritage sites, along with 600 Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protected monuments and 800 state-protected monuments," he said.

The Chairman of FKCCI Tourism Committee, GK Shetty, revealed that the 'Dakshin Bharat Utsav' will be held in rotation among southern states, with FKCCI actively participating in enhancing tourism across southern India.

"By improving connectivity between southern states, this initiative aims to increase tourist mobility, resulting in more employment opportunities and foreign exchange earnings," he said.

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KARNATAKA TOURISM MINISTER

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Who gets what: Karnataka new cabinet ministers' list

Bengaluru: Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar on Saturday took oath as the Chief Minister and Deputy CM along with eight cabinet colleagues.

All the Ministers who took oath have a rich experience in politics and have earlier served the party and governments in various capacities.

Siddaramaiah: Born on August 3, 1947 Siddaramaiah, has entered the assembly for the 9th time. He is currently representing Varuna constituency which he had earlier won in 2008 and 2013. While he won Badami in the last election (2018), he had served as the MLA of Chamundeshwari in 1983, 1985, 1994, 2004 and 2006.

Siddaramaiah who was earlier with Janata Parivar had also served as the Deputy CM as JD(S) MLA from 1996 to 1999 and again from 2004 to 2005.

Siddaramaiah who quit the JD(S) joined Congress in 2006. He won the by-election from Chamundeshwari. In 2013 when Congress came to power, he became the CM and served for five years.

Siddaramiah hails from Siddaramanahundi of Mysuru district and did his BSc and LLB from Mysuru University.

DK Shivakumar: DK Shivakumar, who is also the chief of Pradesh Congress Committee hails from Kanakapura. He has entered the assembly for the eight consecutive time. DK Shi, as he is popularly known, first entered the assembly in 1989 as Congress MLA from Sathanur constituency. He won the seat again in the 1994, 1999 and 2004 election. He is the MLA representing Kanakapura since the 2008 election.

Shivakumar is known to have helped the party on various occasions.

A close confidante of Gandhi family, Shivakumar is serving as the KPCC chief since 2020 and has to his credit bringing Congress back to power with a huge majority. He has served as the Minister of Prisons and Homeguards, Urban Development, Energy, Major Irrigation and Medical Education.

Dr G Parameshwara: Parameshwara, a senior leader who had earlier served as the President of KPCC and Deputy Chief Minister took oath as a cabinet minister today. He won his first election from Madhugiri in 1989. On his entry to assembly, he was inducted into the ministry. He served as the Minister of State for Sericulture in Veerappa Moily cabinet. He won the seat again in 1999 by a record margin of 55,802, the highest margin in the state in the election. This time he served as the Minister of State (Independent charge) and later was promoted as cabinet minister and served under various capacities.

He won the 2004 election from Madhugiri and 2008 election from Koratagere. However, he lost in the 2013 election. Meanwhile in 2010 he was appointed as the KPCC Chief. He played a major role in organizing Padayatras and bringing Congress to power in 2013.

Parameshwara entered the Legislative Council in 2014 and served as the Home Minister in Siddaramaiah government. He won Koratagere in 2018 and served as the Deputy CM in the JD(S)-Congress coalition government. He has won the constituency again for the Congress this election.

KH Muniyappa: Kambadahalli Hanumappa Muniyappa, who took oath today as the cabinet minister is a senior leader with rich experience. He has represented Kolar as MP for seven times.

He won the Kolar Lok Sabha seat for Congress in 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2009 and again in 2014. He had also served as the Union Minister in the UPA government. After he lost the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Muniyappa entered the state politics by winning the Devanahalli seat in the recently concluded election. A confidante of Gandhi family, Muniyappa has now entered the state cabinet.

KJ George: Kelachandra Joseph George popularly known as KJ George had served as the Home Minister in the Siddaramaiah government.

He entered Assembly in 1985 from Bharathinagar constituency. He won the seat again in 1989. He won the Sarvagnanagar seat in 2008, 2013, 2018. He has again entered the Assembly in 2023.

George has also held portfolios of Bengaluru Development and Town Planning, Transport, Food and Civil Supplies, Housing and Urban Development in various governments.

MB Patil: Mallanagouda Basanagouda Patil, is an influential Lingayat leader and a close aide of Siddaramaiah. He represents Yamakanmardi seat of Vijayapura district.

In the previous Siddaramiah led Congress government, he had served as the Water Resources Minister. He has rich experience as the member of Assembly and also Member of Parliament. Patil is an Engineering degree holder entered

Satish Jarkiholi: An MLA from Yamakanmardi of Belagavi district, Jarkiholi is an influential Congress leader. He is currently one of the working presidents of KPCC. From a prominent sugarcane-growing family, Jarkiholi has represented the constituency since 2008. He had served as the Minister of Forest, Ecology and Environment in the JD(S)- Congress coalition government.

He had also served as the Minister of Small-scale industries and Excise in Siddaramaiah cabinet.

Priyank Kharge: Son of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyank is serving as the MLA of Chittapur of Kalaburagi district for the third time.

Priyank entered assembly in 2013 from Chittapur, the constituency which was earlier represented by his father. In 2016, at the age of 38, he took charge as the Minister of IT, BT and Tourism in Siddaramaiah government. He was again inducted into the cabinet in the JD(S)-Congress coalition where he served as the Social Welfare Minister.

This is his third term as MLA.

Ramalinga Reddy: Ramalinga Reddy, who is presently the working president of KPCC represents BTM Layout constituency of Bengaluru.

He won the constituency for eight terms from 1989 to 2023. He has served as Minister of Food and Civil Supplies and Bengaluru City Development in SM Krishna’s cabinet, Primary and Secondary education minister in Dharam Singh led government and as Transport and Home Minister in Congress government under Siddaramaiah.

BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan: Zameer has been an MLA from Chamrajpet in Bengaluru since 2005. He became MLA in 2005 from Chamrajpet with JD(S) ticket. He won the seat again in 2008 and 2013. In 2018 he joined Congress.

He has served as the Minister of Haj and Waqf in the JD(S)-BJP coalition government.

Latest News

New sustainable eco-adventure tourism policy for Karnataka soon  

BENGALURU: The state government will soon introduce a sustainable eco-adventure tourism policy to promote safe and legalised adventure sports and tourism in forest areas.

Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre on Saturday said directions have been issued to formulate the policy in coordination with tourism, youth empowerment and sports and forest departments. A committee will be formed to come up with the policy, which will be included in the tourism policy. This is to ensure legal adventure sports, especially in locations that fall within forests, where the forest department permission is needed.

He said adventure tourism can also be a part of eco-tourism in collaboration with the sports department. This will attract more people and it has been decided to submit a report to formulate the new policy. Directions have also been issued to identify and list the locations for sustainable adventure eco-tourism activities, he added.

Khandre said officials have been told to prepare a comprehensive report on the steps needed to attract capital investment.

Improve public facilities at zoos: Minister After meeting members of the forest department and directors of various zoos in Karnataka, Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre directed administrations of zoos to prepare a detailed action plan to create more enclosures and improve public facilities. Special directions were issued to Mysuru and Bannerghatta zoos where the footfall is high.

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Karnataka Lok Sabha Elections 2024: How Janardhana Reddy's return may help BJP scale 400-seat summit

L ess than a month before the Lok Sabha elections, G Janardhana Reddy , the mining tycoon and MLA representing Kalyana Rajya Pragathi Paksha (KRPP), strategically merged his party with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The move marks Reddy's formal return to the saffron party, accompanied by his wife Aruna Lakshmi and a loyal group of supporters.

Reddy's BJP Reunion After Split

Notably, Reddy's rejoining of the BJP follows a formal split in December 2022, when he founded his own political entity shortly before the last year's Assembly elections. Nevertheless, his departure from the BJP lasted for more than a decade, largely due to legal hurdles associated with his mining ventures. These legal challenges not only impacted his political reputation but also strained his relations with the BJP.

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Reddy's BJP Return Revives Karnataka Election Hopes

Political analysts argue that Reddy's return to the BJP has injected renewed enthusiasm within the Karnataka party's circles in and around Ballari, fuelling the saffron party's ambitious aspirations for the forthcoming general elections. Moreover, his return is perceived as a significant boost to the BJP's larger goal of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) achieving an unprecedented victory, potentially surpassing the 400-seat mark. Reddy earlier faced lukewarm responses from BJP leadership toward his overt overtures, and his rumoured support for the Congress in the February 27 Rajya Sabha election highlighted a widening gap between him and the BJP. However, despite these developments, the mining tycoon has been embraced back into the party fold.

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Describing it as a "homecoming," Reddy clarified that the decision to merge the KRPP with the BJP is aimed at "strengthening Narendra Modi 's leadership and ensure his reelection for a third term as Prime Minister."

He further elaborated, saying, "The BJP was always in my blood, but due to certain circumstances, I had stepped away. However, today, I feel as though I have returned to my mother's lap. When I look at my fellow party members here, it doesn't feel like I'm returning to the BJP office after 13 years."

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Reddy's Strategy: Securing PM Modi's Return

Reddy stressed the significance of Karnataka in ensuring Modi's return as Prime Minister. In a bid to secure victory for the BJP-JDS alliance across all 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state, he chose to merge his KRPP with the BJP and align himself with the party.

Following his arrest by the CBI on charges related to a mining scandal, Reddy had largely remained politically inactive for nearly 12 years prior to the Assembly polls last year.

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Reddy's Political Journey: Minister to Party Dissociation

Reddy, who faced arrest in connection with a mining scam in 2011, previously served as a minister in the BJP government led by BS Yediyurappa in 2008. Despite his campaign efforts for former minister B Sriramulu during the 2018 assembly polls, the BJP had distanced itself from Reddy publicly at that time. Dissatisfied with the party's position, Reddy launched the KRPP a year before the 2023 assembly polls. He later contested and emerged victorious in the elections from Gangavati in Koppal district.

Mining Tycoon's Return Bolsters BJP's North Karnataka Prospects

Reddy's influence is likely to strengthen the BJP's presence in north Karnataka and mitigate the chances of vote fragmentation, particularly in Ballari, Bagalkot, and Koppal districts, which could favour the Congress. After losing ground to the Congress in the region during the May 2023 assembly polls, the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to regain its foothold ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The effort includes fielding Lingayat leader and former chief minister Jagadish Shettar as the MP candidate from Belagavi.

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Legal Implications and Political Prospects in Ballari

Furthermore, experts say that Reddy's return to the BJP may provide him with a degree of legal immunity, potentially shielding him from various criminal cases, notably those related to illegal mining, which have been brought forth by central agencies. From the BJP's standpoint, Reddy's re-entry holds promise for reclaiming political ground lost in and around Ballari. With Reddy's support, the BJP had earlier made significant strides in Ballari, a region long held by the Congress. However, the party's influence diminished following Reddy's involvement in a series of illegal mining scandals, culminating in his imprisonment. Reddy's absence from Ballari, mandated by court rulings and protracted legal battles, presented an opportunity for the Congress to mount a resurgence in the region.

Departure, Disappointment, and Sriramulu's Continuance

As Reddy experienced a gradual marginalisation and eventual departure from the BJP, his close associate and prominent schedule tribe leader, B Sriramulu, opted to remain with the party. This choice dashed Reddy's hopes of forming a new political entity by combining his financial influence with Sriramulu's community backing. However, in the last Assembly election, the performance of KRPP was lacklustre, with Reddy being the sole successful candidate. Sriramulu is now the BJP's candidate from the Ballari Lok Sabha constituency.

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Reddy and Sriramulu's Union: Echoes of BJP's Past Electoral Wins

Political observers say the amalgamation of Reddy's financial resources and Sriramulu's community support within the BJP now sets the stage for a scenario akin to the one witnessed in the 2008 Assembly election, during which the BJP emerged as the single largest party with 110 seats.

More significantly, Reddy has earlier played a key role in bolstering the BJP's influence in the Ballari district, and his enduring sway is widely acknowledged, extending to adjacent regions such as Chitradurga, Koppal, and Raichur. Presently, this support continues to hold significant strategic value for the BJP in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Reddy first rose to political prominence during the 1999 Lok Sabha elections when he actively campaigned for the late BJP leader Sushma Swaraj. Notably, Swaraj contested against Congress' Sonia Gandhi from Ballari, propelling Reddy into the political limelight.