BELAGAVI: One-time friends and now rivals, the Jarkiholis and the Laxmi Hebbalkar camp, will cross swords in the upcoming MLC election from Belagavi local bodies constituency with Lakhan Jarkiholi filing his nomination papers as an Independent candidate on Tuesday. The Congress has named Channaraj Hattiholi, brother of Laxmi Hebbalkar, as its candidate while the BJP has fielded sitting MLC Mahantesh Kavatagimath.
More than half of the electorate are women (4,628 out of 8,875) and the candidates will be looking to grab a major share of their votes. While there are already reports that household appliances like LPG stoves and iron boxes are already being handed out, there is talk that as the campaign picks up pace, cash and gold may also figure in the list of goodies.
Rivalry between Jarkiholis and Hebbalkar began a few years ago with the election of the Belagavi PLD Bank board of directors. Sources close to the Jarkiholis said all four brothers, irrespective of their political affiliation, have joined hands to ensure the defeat of Hebbalkar’s brother.
Speaking to TNIE, Lakhan Jarkiholi claimed that his entry into the fray as an Independent will bolster the chances of the BJP also. He said he never demanded a BJP ticket but decided to contest as an Independent long ago.