BELAGAVI: The pressure cookers which Belagavi Rural MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar distributed to the people in her constituency during the last assembly elections continue to haunt her. Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi on Tuesday claimed that the cookers which Hebbalkar distributed to the voters were funded by him.Hitting back at Jarkiholi later in the day, Hebbalkar said she would file a contempt petition as the case is still in court.Jarkiholi gave a call to all BJP workers in Belagavi Rural constituency, currently represented by Hebbalkar, to ensure the the BJP candidate’s victory in the next assembly election there. Jarkiholi spoke while inaugurating the new office of the BJP rural block in Belagavi Rural constituency.
The large-scale distribution of pessure cookers by Hebbalkar had created a controversy which even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had raked up in his election speech in Belagavi, saying how the voters were being wooed by the Congress leader.Jarkiholi, a close associate of Hebbalkar during the last election, parted ways with her post-polls and vowed to defeat her in the next election.Expressing confidence that his group of leaders would win the crucial election to Belagavi District Central Cooperative (DCC) Bank to be held shortly, he said, already money was being offered to the members by the rival groups.
Hebbalkar said she will lodge a complaint with the Election Commission against Jarkiholi for making defamatory statements against her publicly.In a video clip which she released to clarify her stand, she said she had given the cookers to the people to mark the inauguration of Harsha Sugar Factory by her.
“We have legally bought all the cookers paying even the GST and have the purchase records. Jarkiholi must produce documents to ascertain whether he paid money for the cookers as he claimed,’’ Hebbalkar said.Hitting back at Hebbalkar, Jarkiholi on Wednesday said, “I am ready to swear upon my family deity that I funded the pressure cookers. Let her also swear on her family deity that she did not take money from me to buy the cookers. Let the truth come out.’’
Jarkiholi to discuss water sharing issue in Maha
Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi said he will attend a crucial meeting in Mumbai regarding sharing the waters of the River Krishna between Maharashtra and Karnataka. Before boarding a flight to Mumbai on Wednesday, Jarkiholi said he will also hold discussions with his Maharashtra counterpart, Jayant Patil, on conducting a meeting between the Chief Ministers of both the states to find a lasting solution to the water sharing issue.