International BusinessRift between CM, Reddy brothers widens
The rift between Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and his mine-owning ministerial colleagues continued as they stepped up their campaign against a new cess imposed on lorries transporting iron ore. Tourism minister G Janardhana Reddy, himself a mine owner in the ore-rich Bellary district, took the lead in holding parleys with like-minded fellow miners since yesterday to mobilise support against the Rs 1,000 cess on each lorry load of iron ore, sources close to them said here. There are 92 licenced owners of mines in the district and about 40 of them have been carrying on mining.
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Reddy and his brother, revenue minister G Karunakara Reddy and their confidante health minister B Sreeramulu have been up in arms against Yeddyurappa for certain decisions, including transfer of Gadag deputy commissioner Prasad for his “failure” to implement relief measures in flood-hit areas. The Reddy brothers are also unhappy with the style of functioning of Yeddyurappa whom they accuse of interfering in the working of their departments, besides neglecting them while taking decisions on certain issues.
Despite their opposition to the cess on lorries, the government went ahead with the plan to mop up resources for rehabilitation of people affected by the recent floods in northern districts of the state. The sources said the Reddy brothers were trying to drum up support from lorry owners association by asking them to suspend transport of ore, protesting the cess.
Meanwhile, minister for rural development and panchayat raj Shobha Karandlaje rejected allegations that she interfered in the working of other ministries. "Let them show one such instance. I am prepared to make amends. I am sick of hearing such charges in the last one-and-a-half years, after I became minister," she told reporters in Bangalore, not an aspirant for the state unit party president post.