BANGALORE: The differences between the leaders of the two ruling parties in the State have assumed the proportions of a street fight lowering the image of both, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal (Secular) (JD-S).

A BJP member of the Legislative Council Janardhana Reddy has levelled an allegation of bribe-taking against Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, which even the opposition Congress has not.

What appeared to be the routine transfer of Superintendent of Police Pankaj Kumar Thakur out of Bellary has brought the two parties on a collision course. The two parties, which appeared to have closed ranks on the more serious Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor issue, have revealed that they are together only at the Vidhana Soudha and are rivals throughout the State.

Leaders silent

The State BJP leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, have not intervened to rein in Mr. Janardhana Reddy. BJP State unit president D.V. Sadananda Gowda has not helped matters by his utterances supporting Mr. Reddy.

Mr. Janardhana Reddy, who was elected to the Legislative Council recently, has alleged that huge funds were collected from mine owners indulging in illegal mining in Bellary District by Minister for Forests C. Chennigappa to be handed over to the Chief Minister.

He has quantified the amount at a whopping Rs. 150 crore. Mr. Reddy has targeted Home and Law Minister M.P. Prakash and his son Ravi.

It is apparent that the rivalries and antagonism in Bellary district politics are overtaking State politics and eroding the credibility of the two ruling parties.

Mr. Prakash is the senior-most political leader of Bellary district and has maintained an image of being an intellectual in Karnataka politics.

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