BENGALURU
Minister Ramalinga Reddy has clarified that he has never traveled to Delhi seeking a ministerial position and has no intention of doing so in the future.
Speaking on the issue of cabinet expansion, the recent Delhi tour of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and the rush of ministerial aspirants to the capital, Reddy said, “This is only the second time I have been to Delhi in the past two years, and both visits were for departmental programmes. I have never gone there to seek status or power. If I am qualified, the party will assign responsibilities. Otherwise, no means no.”
On the demand for a Dalit Chief Minister, Reddy declined to comment.
Addressing allegations of vote rigging, he supported Rahul Gandhi’s claims. “Vote rigging has been happening since 2014 when the BJP came to power. It is systematic and reportedly involves collusion with the Central Election Commission. During the Maharashtra MP elections, the BJP manipulated votes to secure Assembly results. We only became aware of the scale of this during those elections,” he said.
Responding to MP Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri’s statement that Vande Mataram should replace the national anthem, Reddy said, “When the British left, the then Prime Minister and Cabinet decided on our national anthem, constitution, and laws. Now, 78 years later, the BJP opposes these decisions. Congress respects Vande Mataram while the BJP does not.”
Reddy’s comments reflect his firm stance on political integrity, electoral accountability, and the preservation of India’s constitutional and cultural heritage, while distancing himself from ministerial power struggles.
