 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 25218 votes.He and his younger brother G. Janardhana Reddy, a MLC from Bellary, were subsequently made ministers in the BJP government led by B. S. Yeddyurappa, when the latter needed the support of a section of MLAs loyal to the Reddy brothers.