Bellary's volatile political scene is at a tipping point following the reported arson attack on a prominent property owned by Gangavathi MLA Gali Janardhan Reddy and ex Minister B. Sriramulu. A “Model House” within the large 109-acre G-Square was gutted by fire on the evening of January 23, causing explosive allegations against local Congress leadership.
The Plot: Fire at the G‐Square Layout
The incident took place at 6:30 PM, at the sprawling G-Square project, which has been a joint venture between the Reddy-Sriramulu team for more than 10 years. The “Model House,” an entirely furnished housing feature intended for prospective purchasers to see the luxury in the layout, was reportedly doused in petrol and diesel and lit on fire, witnesses said.
Witnesses said they spotted unidentified people running from the area soon after the flames began to spread. While on site staff was attempting to arrest the perpetrators of the fire, it had quickly spread the flames and the resulting structures had been damaged badly.
Somashekara Reddy Pinpoints Congress
The fire has reignited the grudge-wrought rivalry between the Reddy camp and the incumbent Congress MLA Bharath Reddy. Talking to news coverage, former MLA Somashekara Reddy didn't mince words; he went so far as to directly accuse Bharath Reddy’s supporters of plotting the attack. “A couple of times they openly vowed to set this on fire during the recent banner issue. Today’s act will be direct performance of those threats,” Somashekara Reddy alleged. He also said the attackers used petrol and other accelerants to make certain the building was completely destroyed. "We will not let this go. We’ll be filing a formal police complaint and demanding immediate arrests," he said.
A Prelude of Violence: The Banner Controversy
To understand the enormity of this arson attack, consider the Bellary Banner Violence less than 15 days ago. That clash, which began as an argument over the position of political banners, became fatal after a Congress worker was killed in a shooting. Since then, the region has been under an extremely high security barrier, however this latest episode of sabotage indicates that the cooling off was just a lull before a larger storm.
Janardhan Reddy Responds
MLA Janardhan Reddy who has been keeping a strategic base in Gangavathi responded angrily to the news. He confirmed in local news channels that he has already contacted the Bellary Superintendent of Police (SP). “The banner incident has not even dipped into cold for 15 days now. And it happened all this time." Janardhan Reddy said: 'It's a calculated attempt to intimidate us as well as disturb the tranquility of the region.' The law itself had to follow by the book, he said, to prevent Bellary from returning to days of rampant political vendettas.
Political Implications
With the 2026 political calendar drawing to a close, this incident could lead to a huge "allol-kallol" (tension) in Karnataka state politics. For the Congress government, the accusation against one of its sitting MLAs creates a huge image challenge, and for the BJP and their supporters, it can serve as a rallying cry against what they call "Goonda Raj." While police go through the charred model house through forensic sweeps, Bellary residents stay vigilant, terrified the so-called “fire of politics” will soon be spreading from their buildings to their streets.
