Belagavi, 30 Sept

Belagavi district in-charge Minister Satish Jarkiholi downplayed the Congress-backed faction’s defeat in the Hukkeri Rural Electricity Cooperative Society elections, saying the contest assumed prominence only because he was the district in-charge minister.

“Victory and defeat are part of elections. A loss does not mean humiliation. We will definitely win in the future,” he told reporters in Belagavi.

Jarkiholi said the election was fought mainly to safeguard party workers and create a base in Hukkeri, where Congress had little presence earlier.

“We secured 12,000 votes while the other side got 20,000. Around 7,000–8,000 ballots were rejected. Our party workers should have been more active in mobilising voters,” he admitted.

On allegations of money and liquor influencing the polls, he said propaganda was not the cause of defeat. “We failed to ensure our votes were cast, that is all,” he remarked.

Rejecting claims that the Jarkiholi brothers are “anti-Lingayat,” he said the charge was confined to Hukkeri and not relevant to the rest of the district.

Responding to rival Ramesh Katti’s personal barbs, Jarkiholi said he would not stoop to such rhetoric.

“He has been an MP and DCC Bank president. He should speak with dignity,” the Congress leader said, while dismissing talk that Katti could emerge as a strong North Karnataka leader. “Winning one cooperative election does not make anyone a leader. Only working for the people does,” he added.

On speculation that the Annasaheb Jolle factor widened the rift between the Jarkiholis and the Kattis, he said their clash was issue-based. “We have campaigned together before. This time, it was inevitable that we contested against each other,” he said.

Jarkiholi further rejected suggestions that the setback would hurt the Congress in the upcoming DCC Bank elections or district politics, calling the Hukkeri polls a localised affair. He also hinted that his brother Ramesh Jarkiholi could play a bigger role in future.

“Just because we lost Hukkeri does not mean we will lose elsewhere. This was only our first attempt. Our base is stronger now,” he said.