BELAGAVI: THE coalition government is said to have conspired to put an end to all rebel activities of Congress MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi by exposing his failure to repay `253 crore debts availed by his Saubhagyalaxmi Sugar Factory in Belagavi, sources said. The massive sum of loan was availed in the last few years from different cooperative and commercial banks in the state.
Jarkiholi not only supported the BJP in the recent Lok Sabha election, but also announced before the media of his decision to quit the Congress, sooner than later. Fearing that his rebel activities with support of a few Congress MLAs could put the government in a quandary, sources said the coalition leadership got notices issued to Jarkiholi-run sugar factory from different banks — from where he had availed crores of loans. Ever since the coalition government silenced him, Jarkiholi has slipped into oblivion for the past one month and a word is out that his brother-inlaw Ambirao Patil is handling all the political affairs in his Gokak constituency. The Congress is yet to take an action against Jarkiholi for his rebel activities. Meanwhile, the BJP also snubbed him when the issue of his failure to repay loans was exposed by the government, sources said.
A section of BJP leadership which was keen to resort to Operation Lotus with support of Jarkiholi, is said to have abandoned all its ongoing efforts to avoid landing in trouble by inducting Jarkiholi. Sources close to Jarkiholi said the latter has been putting pressure on the coalition government against seizure of his sugar factory for loan default. The factory owes about Rs 8 crore pending bills to the growers and is under pressure to settle it within the next one week. “Jarkiholi is trying to find an escape route by saying that sugarcane growers will be in trouble if his factory is closed. Jarkiholi is finding excuses to go scot-free,’’ sources added.