BJP backs Reddy brothers in K'taka

Caught in the dilemma of showing that it was running a clean government in Karnataka and ensuring that the government was not destabilised, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today gave a clean chit to the Reddy brothers of Karnataka, who are facing allegations of illegal mining.

“There is no charge against them. There is no evidence against them. Let them (opposition) approach the high court,” Chief Minister Yeddyurappa said here when asked if he was giving a clean chit to G Janardhan Reddy and G Karunakar Reddy in his Cabinet.

The chief minister’s remarks came after the Reddy brothers held a meeting with him at the Karnataka Bhawan in the national capital.

The chief minister was under pressure from Governor H R Bharadwaj and Opposition parties to remove them on charges of illegal mining and excessive export of iron ore.

“We’re waiting to see what the governor will do before we decide any further course of action,” said a top BJP source.

Earlier this week, Bharadwaj came to New Delhi to meet Home Minister P Chidambaram and President Pratibha Patil and advised the Reddy brothers to resign voluntarily before the Supreme Court took a view in an ongoing case against them.

On Sunday, the Reddy brothers also spoke to the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj.

Yeddyurappa, who was worried that any action against the brothers would result in the destabilisation of the Karnataka government, told senior party leader L K Advani as much when he held discussions with him and party president Nitin Gadkari.