Ballari: The mining scam-tainted Congress MLAs from ore rich Ballari district are still in the race for ministerial berths in the Congress-JD(S) coalition government despite being issued non-bailable warrants (NBW) by a CBI special court. The court in Bengaluru had on Wednesday issued the NBW against Hosapete (Vijayanagar constituency) MLA Mr B.S. Anand Singh and Ballari (ST) constituency MLA Mr B Nagendra in the case of illegal transportation of iron ore from Belekeri port. “We are in politics since one and a half decades, we are strong enough to face it(NBW) legally,” said one of the legislators. According to close aides of the accused legislators, the NBW cannot stop them from demanding a cabinet berth.
“The Congress high command knew that they were chargesheeted by the CBI in connection with the illegal mining scam. But, still they were welcomed into the Congress in the presence of Mr Gandhi himself in Hosapete just a month ahead of the 2018 assembly polls. Then, how can the Congress high command stop them from demanding cabinet berths,” wondered a close aide of the legislators.
“Since all the bigwigs in the coalition government are under the scanner of the CBI or Enforcement Directorate, how can the high command deny our demand,” wondered a legislator.
