The former Ministers Umesh Katti and Balachandra Jarkiholi sought votes for Ramesh Jarkiholi, BJP candidate from Gokak, in some villages of the constituency on Tuesday.
Mr. Katti told villagers in Ankalgi that Ramesh Jarkiholi had sacrificed his seat only to make B.S. Yediyurappa the Chief Minister of the State. “Ramesh Jarkiholi has supported the leader of a strong community to ensure that the State gets a stable government,” he said. “His contribution is the greatest in bringing the BJP to power in the State. There are so many MLAs in North Karnataka. But no one thought of making Mr. Yediyurappa the Chief Minister again. It was the relentless efforts of Ramesh Jarkiholi that led to the resignation of 16 other MLAs and the fall of the Congress-Janata Dal(S) coalition government. He resigned as he was feeling insulted and stifled in his old party. He suffered a lot when he was termed disqualified MLA by the media. But the courts gave him an opportunity to fight the bypolls,” Mr. Katti said.
Balachandra Jarkiholi said that Ramesh Jarkiholi was a leader who took all communities along with him and ensured that welfare schemes reached all. Just as the 12th Century Sharanas took everyone along with them at the Anubhava Mantapa, Ramesh Jarkiholi is taking everyone along with him now. “He needs your blessings,” Balachandra Jarkiholi said.
