Kateel holds parleys on Council poll loss

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: A week after the shocking defeat of BJP candidates in the Council polls in Belagavi and Mysuru districts, State BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel held a meeting in Belagavi to find the reasons for the debacle of official candidates in both places.

The closed door meeting that lasted for over two hours, discussed the circumstances that forced sitting BJP MLC, Mahantesh Kavatagimath to suffer a defeat despite Belagavi having two BJP MPs, Rajya Sabha MPs and a number of MLAs and MLCs. Kateel had a frank talk with all leaders to find the reason why the party candidate lost at the hands of Lakhan Jarkiholi, brother of Gokak MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi and an independent candidate. A few local leaders squarely blamed Ramesh Jarkiholi for the defeat of Kavatagimath and alleged a tacit understanding between the Jarkiholi brothers and Belagavi MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar, whose brother romped home in the first round of counting.

They pointed out that BJP would lose its base in Belagavi district if Ramesh was made minister in the coming Cabinet reshuffle as loyal workers would go to other parties. They opined that Ramesh was ‘untrustworthy’ since he did not make honest efforts for the victory of Kavatagimath. After the results, he washed off his hands claiming that Lakhan was out of reach for five days before the polling. Having such a leader would send a bad message to voters. It was high time the BJP groomed other leaders failing which it would have to pay a heavy price in the 2023 Assembly polls, they felt. After the meeting, Kateel told media persons that he had collected the opinion of all leaders and another round of meetings would be held later. Asked about disciplinary action against Ramesh Jarkiholi, Kateel said those who are indisciplined would be disciplined.