Time changes and never stops its functions. The Reddy brothers of Bellary are no exception to this rule.

Times have surely changed for Gali Janardhan Reddy and Gali Karunakara Reddy, who have lost their ministerial jobs in the recent change of guard in Karnataka, after their scandals made much news one year ago.

Things were different for them one year ago when the brothers proudly used to heli-hop to Bangalore from Bellary for lunch and dinner frequently. But during the past one year, they have been hitting the roads with their high end SUVs ranging from Mercs to the latest Range Rover.

The mining lords-turned-BJP politicians of Bellary once owned three helicopters and were using them frequently. “But, over the past one year, their air travel came down by 90 per cent. They used to inform us in advance and take permission for traffic and weather clearance. Their interaction with us now shows their air travel has reduced by 90 per cent,” said the staff at the air traffic control at Jindal’s Vijayanagar airport in Bellary.

“In the three years from 2008, the reddy brothers used to travel by copters per 50 to 75 hours every month but the records of 2011 show that it was not even 10 hours in a month,” said the staff.

The Reddy brothers owned three helicopters- a 14-seater advanced Bell chopper with night vision facility and two 5-seater Bells thanks to the mining boom. Now, two of them have gone and one remained.

The question is: How long will it remain there in their hands since they are out of the money making ministerial jobs?