Ballari, Jan 17 (AHN) Karnataka BJP MLA Gali Janardhana Reddy, his wife Aruna Laxmi, and close aide B. Sriramulu launched a scathing attack against the Congress-led state government and local Congress MLA Nara Bharath Reddy in the backdrop of an incident of violence in Ballari that resulted in the shooting of a Congress worker indicates that political tension in the region is likely to intensify in the coming days.

They made these statements at a protest rally organised to demand a CBI probe into the Ballari incident and the immediate arrest of local Congress MLA Nara Bharath Reddy.

Aruna Laxmi, the wife of MLA Janardhana Reddy, was the first to launch an attack, condemning the alleged attempt to eliminate her husband.

"My husband has the blessings of Lord Hanuman and the BJP. Your dream of hurting my husband will remain elusive," she said.

"I do not even want to take his (Congress MLA Bharath Reddy's) name. He questions my husband's seniority. Your age does not match my husband's experience," she added.

"Mr. Bharath Reddy, my husband is the one who helped hundreds like you to rise socially and economically. Who are you? You got an opportunity only because of internal fights," Aruna alleged.

"I will address you as a rowdy MLA because you came to my house with thousands of goons and openly stated that there are a hundred ways to finish off Janardhana Reddy and that you could burn down his house in five minutes. But Bharath Reddy, my husband has the blessings of Lord Hanuman and the BJP. Your dream of harming him will remain elusive," she reiterated.

"We can call Bharath Reddy a mad person. He claims that he was born with a silver spoon. I want to ask you one question. You have cheated your own father and grabbed his granite business. Bharath Reddy, you have done great injustice to his three daughters. Those daughters have approached everyone from the Deputy Commissioner to the Governor and the President. I say this today, with their tears, your political career has begun to end," she said.

"You do not know what hunger is. Those who do not know the value of hunger indulge in petty politics. You were elected from Ballari and you say you will burn down the entire Ballari city. Bharath Reddy, you are a rowdy, a goonda and an arrogant person. What more can people expect from you?" she added.

"Janardhana Reddy wants to make Ballari the second biggest city after Bengaluru, but you are encouraging matka, gambling centres and groupism. You are grooming rowdies. You got your own worker killed in the shootout by your private gunman. You claim an innocent has sacrificed his life. It was not a sacrifice; your people shot him dead," she alleged.

"Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar says he will support MLA Bharath Reddy. In this background, the state government cannot ensure justice in this case. They will not be punished. I appeal to the state government to arrest Bharath Reddy and hand over the case to the CBI," she demanded.

Addressing the rally, Gali Janardhana Reddy said, "Because of our differences, the Congress came to power. Now criminals want to finish us off. Sonia Gandhi and Siddaramaiah sent me to jail for four years, but no one could finish me."

"No matter how much they troubled me, I survived. Congress MLA Bharath Reddy came with gunmen, attacked me and hurled petrol bombs. Even 15 days after the incident was reported, he has not been arrested. The local police are involved," he alleged.

"My father was a police Constable who worked wielding a lathi. Ballari has now been turned into a gambling centre and criminals are being nurtured," he said.

Criticising Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar for stating that Janardhana Reddy should make his own security arrangements, he asked what purpose Shivakumar was serving as the Deputy Chief Minister.

"The entire state has been turned into a 'Republic of Congress'. The Congress worker was shot point-blank while he was running away as petrol bombs were hurled and bullets were fired. MLA Bharath Reddy murdered him. He should be arrested within 24 hours," BJP MLA Reddy demanded.

Former Minister B. Sriramulu said the protest rally was organised not for the protection of Janardhana Reddy alone, but for the protection of the Kalyana Karnataka region.

Naming MLA Bharath Reddy and police officers who allegedly colluded with him, Sriramulu said he would not spare them even if they hid anywhere in the world.

He added that since there was an attempt to finish off both him and Janardhana Reddy, he would not remain silent.

He also said the BJP would form the government in Karnataka once the state Assembly elections are held.

Former MLA Gali Somashekara Reddy, brother of Janardhana Reddy, said, "Mr. Nara Bharath Reddy, you are young. You threatened to burn down the entire Ballari city. Because of this, you are now being called a goonda. Do you want it to be like this? You have become a goonda MLA."