BELAGAVI: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee working president Satish Jarkiholi has emerged as the party frontrunner for the ticket for Belagavi Lok Sabha bypoll. Jarkiholi has asked for time to think it over, according to sources.The bypoll is necessitated following the death of Union Minister of State for Railways Suresh Angadi, who represented the seat, due to Covid-19.The 11-member selection committee of senior Congress leaders headed by M B Patil held its second meeting in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
The committee held discussions about several top party leaders who have the potential to enter the fray, but Jarkiholi emerged as everyone’s favourite. For his popularity and experience, the leaders said, he was capable of helping the party bounce back to power in the constituency.After his entry into active politics in 2000, Jarkiholi has won as MLC twice and MLA thrice. As MLA of Yamakanamardi constituency for the past three terms, Jarkiholi has given a new fillip to the process of rural development in his constituency and also at his hometown of Gokak.
The committee not only found Jarkiholi a suitable candidate to take on the BJP but also suggested to face this bypoll under his leadership. For the past four terms, BJP’s late Suresh Angadi had been winning the Belagavi seat. With the BJP not having a candidate of Angadi’s potential in Belagavi to face the bypoll, the Congress wants to grab the opportunity to bounce back.The name of Belagavi Rural MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar also figured at the meeting, given her popularity and winning chances in Belagavi region. The committee is expected to finalise the candidate within the next few weeks and convey it to the KPCC.