Ballari-based miner and activist Tapal Ganesh, has written a letter to President Droupadi Murmu, calling for suspension of the newly launched Kalyana Rajya Pragati Paksha (KRPP) party by former Karnataka Minister Gali Janardhan Reddy. Ganesh, known for his advocacy against alleged illegal mining in Ballari, has attached charge sheets from the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as evidence in the letter.
In the letter, Ganesh has accused Janardhan Reddy and his wife, G Lakshmi Aruna, of using illegally obtained money to launch KRPP. He has urged the President to suspend the activities of the political party until the legal cases against Reddy and his wife, are resolved. Ganesh has also named several bureaucrats from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, a CBI court judge, Pattabhirama Rao, and two legislators from Karnataka, G Somashekhar Reddy and Suresh Babu, who were allegedly involved in a case relating to striking a deal to secure bail, as mentioned in the CBI charge sheet.
Ganesh has further alleged that the authorities have failed to effectively address the issue of illegal mining by Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC), despite his repeated letters, resulting in significant financial losses to the state exchequer. He has stated that the proceeds from the illegal mining would be considered "proceeds of crime." Copies of the letter have been sent to the registrar of the Supreme Court of India, the Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Election Commission of India, and the Secretary of the Karnataka State Election Commission.
In response to the letter, ECI said they have raised a complaint to concerned officers through their National Grievance Service (NGS) portal and are personally following up with them for a quick response.
Ganesh's letter to the President comes amidst ongoing controversy surrounding the launch of KRPP by Janardhan Reddy, who is facing charges of illegal mining and corruption. The Karnataka Assembly elections are scheduled for May 10.