Money talks: Mine-owners turn politicos in Karnataka

MINING FOR POWER: Both the Congress and BJP candidates in Bellary are mine-owners.

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Keywords: Assembly elections 2008, Karnataka

Bellary (Karnataka): The drilling and excavation goes on for over 15 hours everyday in the iron-ore-rich Bellary district.

Ever since the demand for steel shot up in 2003, Bellary has turned a goldmine for miners, with profit margins touching 200 per cent. With growing economic clout, it's but natural the miners start dictating politics of the region and even the state.

One of the reasons why the BJP-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition split was the mining portfolio, which both where eyeing. Little wonder then that the contestants in Bellary this time are all mine-owners.

One of the contestants is mine-owner Somashekara Reddy who is also the brother of controversial BJP MLC, Janardhana Reddy. Janardhana Reddy, it may be recalled, was the man who had accused former chief minister, H D Kumaraswamy of backing illegal mining rackets.

Somashekara Reddy, who is a BJP candidate, says, "For taking policy decisions and development activities, politics is needed 100 per cent. For that reason, I have entered politics, so I can serve people better."

Somashekara Reddy's opponent is the Congress's Anil Lad, also a mine-owner.

Lad says, "Being a politician does not mean you can't be a businessman. we are into both politics and business."

What's special about the Bellary mines is that it has some of the finest quality of iron ore in the country. The Bellary region alone accounts for more than one-fourth of all the iron-ore produced in the country and has made billionaires of several people the district.

And money power is now making them vie for political power.

However, researchers say political power to mine-owners hasn't made a difference to the local population.

Human Rights Activist and Advocate, B T Venkatesh says, "The issue is whether it's the Congress or the BJP in power. Hardly anything has been done for the people of Bellary and the district has a very low human development index as well as high incidence of HIV. There is also a very low degree of literacy in the area."

In the end, the power of money talks — something which is obvious with all parties fielding only mine-owners as their candidates in the iron-ore-rich Bellary district.

(With inputs from G Venkatachala in Bellary)