Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s love for mangoes became the talk of the town. During his apolitical interview with actor Akshay Kumar, Modi revealed how in his childhood, he used to pluck mangoes off the tree. 

Not sure if the interview inspired tainted mining baron and former Karnataka Tourism minister in the BS Yeddyurappa government, Gali Janardhana Reddy. A video of Reddy climbing a mango tree in an orchard at his father-in-law’s home in Andhra Pradesh is being shared over social media. Reddy was reportedly there to attend a family function. 

In the video, Reddy is seen climbing the tree and plucking a mango even as his wife Lakshmi Aruna stands by the side. Reddy who was an accused in the mining scam in Ballari and spent several months in Hyderabad and Bengaluru central jails, has always claimed innocence. This is perhaps his way of conveying that he is an `aam aadmi‘ (common man).

Reddy was involved in the Karnataka assembly election campaign last summer even though the BJP officially disowned him. His two brothers and close associate B Sriramulu were fielded as candidates and Reddy also campaigned for them. This raised hopes that he will be politically rehabilitated at the earliest but with the BJP falling short of the 112 half-way mark, Reddy has remained on the sidelines.