BELAGAVI: The coalition government headed by HD Kumaraswamy was functioning without any hassles until MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi crossed swords with Laxmi Hebbalkar and DK Shivakumar in elections held to select Belagavi’s PLD Bank president on September 7 last year in which Jarkiholi’s group suffered a complete defeat.
The tussle got so serious that all three Jarkiholi brothers – Satish, Ramesh and Lakhan – joined hands to defeat Hebbalkar’s group, which was supported by DK Shivakumar. Mahadev Patil and Bapusaheb Jamadar, both from the Hebbalkar camp, got elected president and vice president of the bank.
Many Congress leaders including its high command attempted to persuade Jarkiholi to return to the party fold. They tried to iron out differences he nursed against Hebbalkar but failed. Two rounds of meetings were organised in New Delhi but the man did not relent.
Prior to the PLD Bank election, Hebbalkar and Ramesh Jarkiholi were closely associated with each other. At one point, Hebbalkar lobbied strongly to induct Ramesh Jarkiholi into the state Cabinet by having Satish Jarkiholi removed in the Siddaramaiah-led government. Hebbalkar played an instrumental role again in getting him inducted into the HD Kumaraswamy Cabinet, even as several top leaders including Satish Jarkiholi were in the race for the berth.
When Hebbalkar’s group won the PLD Bank election, D K Shivakumar entered the scene and started doing his bit in affairs of the district. Then district in-charge minister Ramesh Jarkiholi felt sidelined by the Vokkaliga leader and Hebbalkar in all political affairs and government works related to Belagavi.
It was then that Jarkiholi decided to settle scores with D K Shivakumar and the coalition government. Jarkiholi moved away from the coalition leaders and got close to the BJP leadership.