In the 2008 assembly elections, he contested against Congress leader and former deputy chief minister of Karnataka M.P. Prakash from Harpanahalli constituency in Davanagere District and won by a margin of over 27000 votes. He and his younger brother G. Janardhana Reddy, a MLC from Bellary, have been given ministerial berths in the newly formed BJP government led by B.S. Yeddyurappa. Several institutions including the Election Commission of India are investigating his involvement in illegal mining for iron ore in forest areas and the ensuing conflicts of interest as a government minister.