Rajnath Singh intervenes to end fracas over mining

The mining controversy, which had threatened to split the fragile Janata Dal (S)-BJP coalition government, has been put to rest for the time being with the intervention of BJP president Rajnath Singh.

On Monday night after the BJP legislature party meeting, deputy chief minister B S Yediyurappa apprised Singh of the developments on the controversy.

Last week, BJP legislator Janardhana Reddy and his brother Karunakara Reddy (Bellary MP) had accused Kumaraswamy of accepting a bribe from some owners of mines to transfer Bellary district superintendent of police Pankaj Kumar Thakur, who was investigating the illegal mining.

Yediyurappa reportedly told Singh that the allegation made by the Reddy brothers (both mine owners) had turned into a major controversy causing much embarrassment to the government.

Despite several warnings, the Reddy brothers had refused to withdraw the allegation. The state BJP leaders' failure to rein in the Reddy brothers had upset the JD(S) camp.

According to highly-placed sources, Rajnath Singh spoke to the Reddy brothers over phone and worked out a "compromise formula".

The sources said the Reddy brothers are scheduled to meet Kumaraswamy on Wednesday to withdraw the allegation.

Even the ongoing legislature session has been hit by the controversy with the opposition Congress stalling the proceedings for three days in succession seeking a CBI inquiry into the allegation.