BELAGAVI: Cracking the whip before the friction between Municipal Administration minister Ramesh Jarkiholi and Water Resources minister D K Shivakumar could affect its prospects in the battle for Ballari Lok Sabha seat, the state Congress leadership has hastily shunted out Ramesh from campaigning in the district and instead asked him to join the campaign in Jamakhandi assembly constituency.
Ramesh, who was in charge of Kudligi assembly segment in Ballari LS seat so far, arrived in Belagavi on Friday and is expected to head to Jamakhandi on Saturday to hit the campaign trail. Sources close to Jamakhandi Congress candidate Anand Nyamagauda confirmed that Ramesh has participated in one round of campaigning in the constituency and is set to participate in campaigning on Saturday too.
Back in Gokak, sources close to Jarkiholi confirmed that former minister Satish Jarkiholi has been asked to join the campaign in Ballari from Saturday. A top Congress leader told TNIE that there was a possibility that Satish was being deputed in place of his brother in Kudligi assembly segment. Satish will now head to Ballari to strengthen the party’s base.
Challakere MLA Raghu Murthy has been asked to co-ordinate with Shivakumar to ensure smooth campaigning in Kudligi.
The duo’s continued rivalry has kept the Congress on the tenterhooks as its leaders grapple to bolster the campaign ahead of the crucial Ballari bypoll. Though both had been given separate assignments in Ballari, the party had begun to feel that their animosity had been worsening as polling day approaches. According to sources, the party finally has decided to keep them apart until all bypolls over and therefore decided to send Jarkiholi to Jamakhandi asembly constituency with immediate effect.
An associate of the Jarkiholi brothers said Congress is finding it difficult to take both Ramesh and Shivakumar into confidence as the former continues to put pressure on the party high command for the Irrigation portfolio which Shivakumar is holding.
Ever since Jarkiholi, Shivakumar and MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar precipitated a crisis over the PLD Bank election in Belagavi a few weeks ago, Jarkiholi seems to be bent on settling scores with Shivakumar.
With their focus on the bypolls, most of Congress top leaders are unwilling to play the role of trouble-shooter to keep Jarkiholi from raking any trouble. However, the party is said to have made a tentative arrangement to keep Jarkiholi and Shivakumar away from each other until the bypolls are over and plan to talk to both of them later. The party leaders, sources said, are keen to allow Shivakumar to lead the campaign effectively in Ballari without getting bogged down by his raging rivalry with Jarkiholi at this juncture.
Despite appeals made by several party workers in Kudligi not to shift Ramesh Jarkiholi from Ballari to Jamakhandi, the party had no other choice but to take the preemptive step to keep Shivakumar in good humour.
Until Ramesh Jarkiholi is allotted a plum portfolio, sources said, the party may find it difficult to end his feud with Shivakumar. Meanwhile, the party’s abrupt decision to shunt out Ramesh Jarkiholi from the Ballari campaign could trigger a fresh controversy once the bypolls are over.