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Shobha Karandlaje is an Indian politician from Karnataka. She is associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). She is considered a close associate of B. S. Yediyurappa and has served the Karnataka government and the Government of India in various capacities including as the Minister of State for Food Processing Industries of the union government.
Wiki/Biography
Shobha Karandlaje was born on Sunday, 23 October 1966 (age 57 years; as of 2023) in Charwaka Post, Puttur Taluk, Mysore State (now Karnataka), India. Her zodiac sign is Scorpio. She grew up in Puttur, Coastal Karnataka, where she became associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) while she was very young. After completing her schooling, she pursued a BA degree at St. Philomena College in Puttur. Later, she attended Mangalore University, graduating with a Master of Social Work. She also holds an MA (Sociology) degree from Mysuru University.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 5″
Weight (approx.): 60 Kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Family & Caste
She belongs to a Vokkaliga family in Puttur, Karnataka.
Parents & Siblings
Her father, Monappa Gowda, died when Shobha was eleven years old. Her mother’s name is Poovakka.
Shobha Karandlaje with her father
Shobha Karandlaje’s mother
Husband
She is unmarried.
Relationships/Affairs
According to Padmanabha Prasanna, the founder president of Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP), Shobha Karandlaje and B. S. Yediyurappa got secretly married after being in a relationship for a long time. Padmanabha Prasanna revealed this in October 2016.
Religion
Shobha Karandlaje follows Hinduism.
Address
Karandlaje House, Charwaka Village, Puttur Taluk, Dakshina Kannada District, Karnataka
Career (Politics)
While working as one of the full-time volunteers of the Sangh Parivar, Shobha Karandlaje became the General Secretary of Udupi District BJP Mahila Morcha in 1996, and she later became the State Secretary and General Secretary of Mahila Morcha. In 1998, she joined the BJP as a full-time Karyakarta. In 2004, she was elected as an MLC in Karnataka.
A picture of Shobha Karandlaje from the initial days of her political career
In 2008, she was elected as an MLA from Yeshwanthapura, Bangalore. From 30 May 2008 to 9 November 2009, she served as the Minister of Rural Development in the Government of Karnataka. From 12 December 2010 to 12 July 2012, she served as the Minister of Food & Civil Supplies in the Government of Karnataka. From 22 September 2010 to 23 January 2013, she served as the Minister of Energy in the Government of Karnataka. In 2012, she quit the BJP and became the Working President of the Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP), a newly formed party by B. S. Yediyurappa, and contested the 2013 Karnataka assembly elections from the Rajaji Nagar constituency but lost. In January 2014, KJP merged with the BJP, making her return to the BJP. Shobha contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from the Udupi-Chikmagalur constituency and won with a margin of 1.81 Lakh Votes. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, she retained her Udupi-Chikmagalur seat by winning with a huge margin of 3.49 lakh votes. On 7 July 2021, she was appointed the Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in the Government of India. On 7 December 2023, she was appointed the Minister of State for Food Processing Industries in the Government of India; she took charge of the ministry on 11 December.
On 11 December 2023, Shobha Karandlaje assumed charge as MoS of MoFPI
Controversies
FIR against Karandlaje for spreading religious hatred
In January 2020, the Kerala Police filed a First Information Report (FIR) against her, accusing her of spreading religious hatred. The action taken against her was because of a controversial tweet in which she claimed that numerous Hindu households in Malappuram district were experiencing water denial due to their support for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act of 2019. In her tweet, she wrote,
Kerala is taking baby steps to become another Kashmir. Hindus of Kuttipuram panchayat were denied water supply as they supported CAA-2019.”
Criticised for her statement on Kerala migrants
In February 2020, she attracted controversy when she advocated for increased monitoring of individuals migrating from Kerala to Karnataka. Shobha tweeted,
Kerala is turning out to be the safest den of religious extremist Jihadi elements!”
Criticised for flouting Covid-19 restrictions
In July 2020, she violated the restrictions that prohibited devotees and the public from entering a temple situated atop Chamundi Hills during the nationwide lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Her visit to the temple faced backlash from devotees and the public, who counted it as preferential treatment for VVIPs, calling it unfair.
Salary
As a Member of Parliament, she receives a monthly salary of Rs. 1 lakh + Other allowances.
Assets/Properties
Movable Assets
| Asset Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Cash | Rs. 1.29 lakh |
| Bank Deposits | Rs. 76.5 lakh |
| Bonds/Shares | Rs. 50 thousand |
| LIC and other policies | Rs. 11.6 lakh |
| Motor Vehicles | Rs. 17 lakh |
| Jewellery | Rs. 55 lakh |
| Gun | Rs. 25 thousand |
Immovable Assets
| Asset Type | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Non-agricultural land | Puttur | Rs. 10 lakh |
| Residential building | Bengaluru | Rs. 3 crore |
Note: The given estimates are according to the year 2019.
Car Collections
She owns a Toyota Innova (KA 02 MH 5886) car.
Bike Collections
She owns a Honda Activa (KA 04 JR 8678).
Net Worth
In 2019, her net worth was estimated to be around Rs. 10 crore.
Facts/Trivia
- Shobha Karandlaje’s nickname is Shobhakka.
- While she was serving as the Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) in the BJP-led Karnataka government, from May 2008 to November 2009, Karnataka achieved recognition as the top-performing state in India in terms of Rural Development and Panchayath Raj. While bringing an extra grant of Rs. 800.00 Crores for road development from the Central Government, she played a significant role in obtaining an additional grant of Rs. 1200.00 Crores from the World Bank. These funds were utilized to enhance access to drinking water and essential amenities in rural areas.
- In 2009, she stepped down from her position as the Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) due to a political turmoil. In 2010, she was reinstated and assigned the Energy portfolio.
- Shobha Karandlaje won the 2019 Lok Sabha elections by a margin of 3.49 lakh votes, setting a record as the largest margin ever achieved by a female candidate in Karnataka.
- In June 2022, Varun Aditya, who serves as Shobha Karandlaje’s personal assistant, submitted a complaint to the Sanjaynagar police station in Bengaluru. The complaint alleged fraudulent activities by an individual named Prakash, who falsely presented himself as an associate of Shobha Karandlaje and reportedly collected funds from landowners and businessmen using her name.
- In August 2023, Shobha Karandlaje and other female members of the BJP lodged a complaint against Rahul Gandhi with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. They accused him of displaying ‘indecent’ conduct and making ‘inappropriate’ gestures towards Union Minister Smriti Irani in the parliament. While requesting for strict measures to be taken against Rahul Gandhi, Shobha Karandlaje presented a letter bearing the signatures of 21 women BJP members to the Speaker in his office.
Shobha Karandlaje submitted the letter signed by 21 women BJP members at the Speaker’s chamber against Rahul Gandhi in August 2023