BELAGAVI: The rift within the politically influential Jarkiholi family of Gokak has split wide open as Congress MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi held meetings with members of zilla panchayat (ZP), taluk panchayat (TP) and TMC at his residence in Gokak and urged them to support the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections. Soon after this, a beleaguered Satish Jarkiholi said that Lakhan Jarkiholi, his youngest brother, will replace Ramesh Jarkiholi and take on the Congress mantle in Gokak.
Members of various local bodies thronged Ramesh’s residence on Saturday for meetings. According to sources, he appealed to all of them to support the BJP in the elections.Ramesh said several Congress leaders are the reason why he was forced to back the BJP. He added that his brothers Satish and Lakhan were equally responsible for denying him what he deserved as a senior leader in the Congress party, sources close to the Jarkiholi family said.
Sources added that many of the local body members and leaders who met Ramesh were averse to the latter’s call to support the BJP and wanted him to continue with Congress. However, Ramesh is said to have made up his mind to contest as a BJP candidate from Gokak in the next assembly election, sources said.
During his visit to Gokak on Friday, former chief minister Siddaramaiah held a meeting with Satish and gave his consent to replace Ramesh with Lakhan as the Congress leader in Gokak. Satish said that Lakhan will be fielded as the Congress candidate from Gokak even if Ramesh contested as a BJP candidate from the same constituency.
For the last one decade, Lakhan was closely associated with Ramesh while Satish was singled out. Recent political developments forced Satish and Lakhan to join hands in order to sideline Ramesh in Gokak, sources said.
Although Congress is unwilling to suspend Ramesh from the party, its leaders have asked Lakhan to lead the party’s campaign ahead of the LS elections in Gokak assembly segment. This is why Lakhan is now seen actively campaigning for the Congress in all rallies and programmes being held in Gokak over the past few weeks.