Following the Lok Sabha election outcomes, a political clash seems imminent between Minister Satish Jarkiholi and Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar regarding the defeat of Hebbalkar’s son in Belgaum . While Jarkiholi’s daughter secured a win, Hebbalkar’s son, Mrinal, faced a setback, sparking speculation about the reasons behind it.
Minister Satish Jarkiholi indirectly suggested that DK Shivakumar’s overconfidence as the Congress leader affected the party’s overall performance in the state, preventing it from achieving double-digit figures. Speaking about the Belgaum outcome, Jarkiholi stressed that he should not be held responsible for the Congress candidate’s defeat. He underscored the notable presence of Lingayat voters, whom he argued did not support his influence. Jar
Jarkiholi pointed out that there are 500,000 Lingayat voters, questioning whether they follow his guidance. He emphasized Hebbalkar’s failure to draw in voters, indicating her inability to rally enough support in the constituency. He further explained that neither the Lingayat nor the Maratha communities were adequately mobilized, resulting in the Congress’s loss in Belgaum .
Jarkiholi reaffirmed his stance to journalists in Belgaum , emphasizing his determination to succeed and rejecting accusations of his involvement in the defeat. He attributed Mrinal Hebbalkar’s loss to a lack of outreach to important voter demographics, stating, “Our efforts were aimed at victory, not defeat.”
During the Lok Sabha elections, Lakshmi Hebbalkar was assigned to manage the Chikkodi constituency, where she campaigned for Jarkiholi’s daughter Priyanka, resulting in her victory. Meanwhile, Satish Jarkiholi was in charge of the Belgaum constituency, where Mrinal Hebbalkar ran as the Congress candidate. However, despite these endeavors, Mrinal’s campaign did not achieve success.
In reaction to ongoing rumors attributing the defeat to him, Jarkiholi aimed to exonerate himself and shift the attention towards the wider issues impacting the party’s electoral outcome in Belgaum.
