VIJAYAPURA: Bijapur MP Ramesh Jigajinagi has been a winner all the way, barring one blip when he lost the Ballolli assembly seat in 1989. His consistent showing at the hustings earned him berths both in the state cabinet, and recently, the Union cabinet.
He has also emerged as one of the most popular Dalit leaders of North Karnataka, after registering victories from the reserved Lok Sabha constituencies of Chikkodi and Bijapur.
As Minister of State for Drinking Water and Sanitation for two years in the first Modi cabinet, he got crores of rupees sanctioned to facilitate drinking water to his constituency, where work is still in progress.
“My job is to serve the people, I am enjoying all these political perks because of their vote and blessings. It is my responsibility to fulfil their demands,” he says.
Jigajinagi has also promised that he will do his best to get construction on the airport under Udaan scheme started -- a two-decade demand. He is eager to pressure the authorities to get the UNESCO tag for the world-famous Gol Gumbaz.
“I will give my 100 percent to develop my hometown, including improving rail and road connectivity and tourism. The people should know that I am only capable of an MP’s work and should not expect me to do the work of an MLA or a Panchayat member. But I will try to address the major problems of this region,” he said.
Jigajinagi is from the remote village of Atharga in Indi taluk. He graduated in Arts and is an Economics postgraduate. From a middle-class family, he started his political career as a Taluk Panchayat member in 1978, with the blessings of politician BM Patil, the father of Home Minister MB Patil.
It was Patil who introduced him to Ramakrishna Hegde, and Jigajinagi became a loyal and hardcore follower of the political stalwart and also former chief minister JH Patel, who were then in the Janata Party. Jigajinagi joined the Lok Shakti, which was formed by Hegde, and rejoined Janata Dal United after Lok Shakti merged with the former.
In 1983, Hegde gave him the ticket from Ballolli (SC) assembly constituency, and to everyone’s surprise, he emerged victorious. His win landed him in Hegde’s cabinet under the Youth and Dalit quota.
After two consecutive wins, he tasted his first defeat in 1989 against MU Ainapur. In 1994, he again won was inducted into the Patel cabinet, and handled revenue and social welfare.
In 1998, on Hegde’s advice, he contested the 12th Lok Sabha elections on a Janata Party ticket, against undefeated seven-time MP B Shankaranand, from Chikkodi. He registered a thumping victory with a margin of over 1 lakh votes. This victory opened the door of national politics for Jigajinagi, besides gaining him fame and name. On Hegde’s demise, Jigajinagi skipped to the BJP.
In 2009, after Bijapur was announced as SC reserve, the BJP high command directed him to contest from his home constituency. He registered two consecutive victories, and the central leadership, recognizing his political achievement, inducted him into the Modi cabinet in 2016. Apart from politics, Jigajinagi is also a grape grower and a leading industrialist.