Since the day Lakhan Jarkiholi filed his nomination as an independent candidate for the legislative council polls in Karnataka, there were rumours about his brothers helping him discreetly. On December 3, the rumours were put to rest when former Minister and BJP MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi and Lakhan Jarkiholi addressed members of the gram panchayat and urban local body in Brahmanath Bhavan in Nippani.
While the crowd was the same, votes were sought for different candidates. Ramesh Jarkiholi sought votes for the BJP and for his brother, while Lakhan sought votes only for himself.
The first to address the gathering was BJP MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi who openly declared his support for his brother whose candidature could have an adverse impact on his party’s candidate. He claimed to have ‘fielded Lakhan only to defeat Channaraj Hattiholi’, the Congress candidate and younger brother of MLA Lakshmi Hebbalkar, who is his political adversary in Belagavi district. “If the Congress had given the ticket to backward community leaders, like Vivekrao Patil or a veteran Congressmen like Prakash Hukkeri, I would not have fielded Lakhan. I am supporting him now only because we want to defeat Congress candidate Channaraj Hattiholi,” Ramesh Jarkiholi declared.
“Congress is a party that only supports politicians with money. There is no social justice in that party. That is why I left the Congress to join the BJP,” he said.
Minutes later, independent candidate Lakhan Jarkiholi took the stage and sought votes for himself.
Minutes later, independent candidate Lakhan Jarkiholi seeks votes only for himself while addressing members of the gram panchayat and urban local body in Brahmanath Bhavan in Nippani on December 3, 2021.
He recalled the contribution of his brothers to Belagavi district. “There are some leaders who help the people only when they become ministers or when they have power. But the Jarkiholi brothers help the people even when they are out of power. Our doors are open to the people at all times, and you know that,” he said. He said he had a great connect with members of rural and urban local bodies for several decades and he would continue this relationship in future.
On December 2, Ramesh Jarkiholi left a campaign rally in Sthavanidhi near Athani with a cryptic message. “You should ensure victory of the BJP candidate Mahantesh Kavatagimath, and defeat the Congress candidate. But, I will not tell you which candidate should get your first preference vote or the second preference vote. I will discuss this with my seniors, and send a message in one or two days. I am being cautious as I have some political enemies in Athani,” he said.
This was widely interpreted as a reference to Laxman Savadi, former Deputy Chief Minister, who has not had the best of relations with the Jarkiholi brothers for decades.
On December 3, Mr. Savadi responded in Athani, saying that the party is ‘keenly observing who is supporting whom’. “BJP is a national party. Our leaders are observing who is campaigning for whom and who is not campaigning for whom,” he said.
