Anand Singh with Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru on Wednesday. (Twitter) Anand Singh with Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru on Wednesday. (Twitter)

Anand Singh (52), a BJP MLA from the iron ore-rich Bellary region who is accused in several cases of illegal mining by the CBI and the Karnataka Lokayukta SIT, was inducted into the Congress on Wednesday on the basis of his popularity in Hospet (Vijaynagar) Assembly constituency from where he has been elected twice in a row.

Singh, a transport and mining businessman who joined the BJP in 2008 at the behest of the party’s former Bellary strongman G Janardhan Reddy, was inducted into the Congress in the presence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and state party president G Parameshwara.

Singh’s induction despite opposition from factions within the Congress is seen as part of the party’s efforts to use his financial and popular clout to maximise the party’s chances of winning nine seats in the Bellary region.

“I will work towards winning all the nine seats in the district,’’ Singh said, blaming recent internal bickering and his sidelining within the BJP as the reason for his exit. Siddaramaiah said Singh was joining the Congress as a believer in its secular principles.

There was speculation about Singh moving away from the saffron party in November last year when he participated in Tipu Jayanti celebrations in Hospet, despite opposition from the BJP.

Efforts to bring Singh into the Congress were initiated by politician and Bellary mining businessman Santhosh Lad who is the labour minister in the Congress government. Lad has been a key supporter of Siddaramaiah since 2013.

“We do not know what kind of message this will send out to voters since the Congress opposed illegal mining to come to power. There is no doubt, however, that Singh enjoys massive support in his constituency and is a strong candidate. In the end the Congress should benefit in Bellary, rather than lose ground on account of this move,’’ a senior Congress leader said.

The BJP’s Hospet unit joined the Congress along with Singh. Many Congress leaders in the Bellary unit are opposed to the induction, Congress leaders said. “Differences among party leaders over induction of a new person and fielding him on a party ticket is commonplace. The leaders will work to iron out differences,” Lad said.

Singh was picked up by the Congress following fears that he could return to the Janata Dal (Secular), with which he was earlier associated, because of his dissatisfaction with the BJP, Congress sources said.

Singh is one of the wealthiest politicians in Karnataka. He declared a total wealth of Rs 104.53 crore ahead of the Karnataka Assembly polls in 2013 and declared Rs 95.90 crore when he became a BJP MLA in 2008. He enjoys immense popularity in Hospet on account of his philanthropic activities — setting up schools and hospitals for the poor.

Singh was considered an integral part of a mining mafia run in Bellary district by former BJP minister G Janardhan Reddy and his associates during 2008-2011. He is currently out on bail in the cases. Former BJP MLA from Kudligi B Nagendra, who is accused of illegal mining and exports, is also expected to join the Congress.

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