Janardhan Reddy Challenges Nagendra, Congress Over Valmiki Scam
Nagendra hit out at Reddy and former minister B Sriramulu and said he was prepared to quit as Ballari Rural MLA and face them in an election.
Ballari: Gangavathi MLA G Janardhan Reddy on Saturday challenged former minister B Nagendra and the Congress to make the Ballari MP and 10 MLAs, who allegedly utilised money siphoned off from the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation, resign and face fresh elections.
Reddy's remarks came a day after Nagendra resigned from the ministry amid allegations in the Valmiki Corporation scam. On Friday, Nagendra hit out at Reddy and former minister B Sriramulu and said he was prepared to quit as Ballari Rural MLA and face them in an election.
"Nagendra, who had won when I was away from Ballari, is now challenging us. Tukaram had become an MP through the money from the Valmiki Corporation scam," Reddy alleged during a press conference in Ballari on Saturday. He challenged Nagendra and the Congress to make him resign as well.
"Money from the Corporation was used in the 10 Assembly constituencies of the undivided Ballari district during the Lok Sabha election. If the Congress has the courage, it should make the MP and the MLAs from all 10 constituencies resign as well. Let Nagendra persuade the party to secure their resignations and then face us in the elections," he challenged.
"We will be ready for elections tomorrow morning. We will win the Lok Sabha seat and all 10 Assembly constituencies. If we do not win, I am not Janardhan Reddy," he said, throwing down the challenge.
Throughout the press conference, Reddy addressed Nagendra directly, responding to his remarks and repeatedly challenging him over the allegations surrounding the Valmiki Corporation scam.
Reddy ridiculed Nagendra for calling him and Sriramulu "rejected pieces", pointing to AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge's defeat in Kalaburagi.
"Kharge too lost the election in Kalaburagi. Does that make him a rejected piece? He went on to become the Congress president. Winning and losing are part of politics," he said.
He also took exception to Nagendra's criticism of the BJP as a "Manuvadi" party.
"Yesterday, he repeatedly accused the BJP of being a Manuvadi party. But Nagendra had himself begun his political career with the BJP. The BJP and Janardhan Reddy gave you your political beginning. When you contested and became an MLA on a BJP ticket, did he not know about the BJP then?" Reddy questioned.
He also accused Nagendra of shedding tears to cover up his alleged role in the scam.
Reddy further raised questions about the alleged transfer of about Rs 6.50 crore from the Corporation's funds to three persons in Mumbai. Reddy also mentioned their names and ages during the press conference.
"The money was transferred from the Corporation account to their account. They have taken anticipatory bail from the CBI court in Bengaluru. Let Nagendra explain the transfer of money," he challenged.
Reddy said that while Nagendra had referred to Shambuka from the Ramayana during his press conference on Friday, he should instead have spoken about Chandrashekhar, the Valmiki Corporation officer who died by suicide.
"He died by suicide, but in reality, the Congress party and Nagendra were responsible for his death," Reddy alleged.
On the BJP's proposed padayatra, Reddy said it would go ahead and raise several issues concerning the state.
"The Valmiki Corporation scam is only one of the issues. The BJP is undertaking the padayatra over several burning problems facing the state. Several taluks have not been included in the drought-affected list, and those issues will also be raised," he said.
Reddy also said the BJP would oppose any move to make Tukaram's wife a minister, alleging that Tukaram had become an MP using money linked to the Valmiki Corporation scam.
