Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, who arrived here on Saturday for the first time since assuming charge, and the Jarkiholi brothers presented an all-is-well picture. However, there was no indication that the Chief Minister had succeeded in mollifying the Jarkiholis, who have raised the banner of revolt against the coalition government.
Mr. Kumaraswamy greeted Municipal Administration Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, who came to receive him at the Sambra airport, with an enthusiastic show of affection. This image was shared widely on social media.
Mr. Ramesh Jarkiholi, however, was not present at the Chief Minister’s programmes later. The question as to whether the Chief Minister met the Jarkiholi brothers to offer wise counsel remained unanswered. Satish Jarkiholi met Mr. Kumaraswamy at the government guest house later and discussed issues such as shifting the vegetable market out of the city. The issue of their rift with Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee women’s wing president Laxmi Hebbalkar was not discussed, party sources said.
On the sidelines of the platinum jubilee celebrations of Karnatak Law Society at Gogte Institute of Technology (GIT), Mr. Satish Jarkiholi reiterated that he was not part of any political operation. “There is no threat to the government. It will complete it’s term. There is no confusion in the party about anything,” he said.
MLAs Satish Jarkiholi and Laxmi Hebbalkar at a programme in Belagavi on Saturday.
In another photo op, Mr. Satish Jarkiholi and his political rival Ms. Hebbalkar were sitting next to each other at the GIT programme. Ms. Hebbalkar, who arrived with Prakash Hukkeri, MP, sat next to Mr. Satish Jarkiholi. The two leaders also exchanged pleasantries and engaged in small talk. Later, Ms. Hebbalkar said the issue of elections to a Belagavi cooperative bank was over, but difference of opinion was yet to be resolved.
Janata Darshan
Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy during Janata Darshan at the Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi on Saturday.
Later in the evening, Mr. Kumaraswamy accepted petitions during Janata Darshan at the Suvarna Soudha.
At one stage, he lost his temper when activists of a forum seeking statehood for north Karnataka shouted slogans against him. “What do you think you will achieve by shouting slogans? The region will not develop by sloganeering. Do you know what I am doing for developing the region?” he told them.
Earlier, some farmers protested against the delay in the Chief Minister coming to the venue. “We have come from far-off places and have been waiting for over four hours. We are tired and hungry,” said Basavaraj Kammar who had come from Ranebennur.
Mahadayi
The State government will hold discussions in two weeks with various stakeholders, including farmers, to decide on how to utilise the Mahadayi waters, Mr. Kumaraswamy said here on Saturday after inaugurating the Kannada Bhavan. “We are committed to using the Mahadayi waters for the welfare of farmers and for drinking water needs of people in north Karnataka cities,” he said. He asked people not to heed rumours about his government not completing its full term.
