Will PM Modi avoid sharing dais with Reddy brothers?

BENGALURU: The poll-eve mercury is set to spiral with both star campaigners PM Narendra Modi and Congress president set to criss-cross Karnataka on Thursday, but the focus will be on Mr Modi’s first visit to ore-rich Ballari and whether he would keep the Reddy brothers at bay in view of their involvement in the mega-buck illegal mining scam.

Soon after Congress leaders lambasted the top brass of BJP about several tickets handed out to the kin of tainted Reddy brothers, party chief Amit Shah skipped a visit to Ballari and flew to the neighbouring district to address an election rally last week. Mr Shah had earlier announced that his party has nothing to do with mine baron and former minister Gali Janardhan Reddy but the latter made many appearances in public along with former minister and BJP candidate B. Sriramulu and state BJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa.

Mr Modi, however, would address a rally in Ballari on Thursday but it would be interesting to seek whether one of the Reddy borthers, G. Somashekar Reddy, BJP candidate in Ballari city, would be allowed to share the dais with the Prime Minister.