Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jul 24: Those who have been closely following the incidents leading to the collapse of the coalition government in the state have reasons to strongly believe that personality clashes which occurred during the election to the board of directors of a small primary land development bank in Belagavi district eventually caused the government's debacle. In this election, Belagavi (rural) MLA, Laxmi Hebbalkar and Gokak MLA, Ramesh Jarkiholi, who was then the district in-charge minister, confronted each other. Minister, D K Shivakumar's attempt to mediate between the two sides widened the divide as Ramesh Jarkiholi felt humiliated and challenged by Shivakumar.

D K Shivakumar (left) and Ramesh Jarkiholi

The fact that Shivakumar supported a candidate suggested by Hebbalkar to the post of the president of the said bank worsened the situation. Jarkiholi, who was the district in-charge minister then, complained to the senior party leaders, asking them to rein in Shivakumar. But the leaders overlooked this complaint, as a result of which Jarkiholi stayed away from cabinet meetings and did not involve himself with development activities in the district.

The leaders acted against Jarkiholi by ousting him from the ministry, and making his brother Satish Jarkiholi, a minister. Ramesh Jarkiholi got infuriated and openly revolted against the party leadership. However, leaders like Siddaramaiah continued to believe that Jarkiholi, a hardcore Congressman, would not desert the party. The failed 'Operation Lotus' by BJP leaders seem to have made Congress leaders lax as they did not take the talk of defection by several legislators seriously. Jarkiholi has always been considered close to Siddaramaiah, and the former chief minister's reluctance to exert pressure on Jarkiholi gave rise to doubts among leaders. Jarkiholi also succeeded in humiliating the Congress in Belagavi in the Lok Sabha election.