G. Somashekhar Reddy, former miner, and B. Sriramulu, a close associate of former mining baron G. Janardhana Reddy, were among those who filed for nominations for the Assembly elections on Saturday.
Mr. Reddy, who is making an entry into State politics after a five-year break, has declared a family wealth of ₹42.29 crore, up by around 47% since his last declaration before the 2008 Assembly elections. In 2013, he chose not to run for elections from Bellary City constituency after he was accused of bribing an Andhra Pradesh judge to get bail for his brother.
In his affidavit, he has shown six cases, including mining violations and a cash-for-bail case registered by Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau.
He will be running against the incumbent MLA, Anil Lad, (assets of ₹366.9 crore) and against the former miner Tapal Ganesh, who has declared assets of just ₹40 lakh and is running on a Janata Dal (United) ticket.
In the adjacent Molkalmur constituency in Chitradurga district, BJP candidate Mr. Sriramulu filed his nominations accompanied by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, BJP’s CM candidate B.S. Yeddyurappa, G. Janardhan Reddy among others. According to his affidavit, his assets have declined by 41.4% since 2013 elections when he ran from Ballari. He has declared a family wealth of ₹25.6 crore, down from ₹43.74 crore five years ago. He has four criminal cases, down from seven in 2013.
Meanwhile, in Bengaluru, Housing Minister and Vijayanagar MLA, M. Krishnappa, filed his nomination declaring ₹236.16 crore assets, up by 60% since 2013. Other Ministers who filed nominations include Dinesh Gundu Rao (27.156 crore), Umashree from Terdal (₹5.82 crore), Eshwar Khandre from Bhalki (₹10.33 crore)
