Mysuru, May 4 (IANS): Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) spokesman M. Lakshman on Tuesday urged the state government to seize the properties attached to former BJP minister Ramesh Jarkiholi at the Gokak taluk in Belagavi district over alleged non-payment of dues to sugarcane farmers.

He also accused Cooperation Minister S.T. Somashekar, who is also the district in-charge for Mysuru, of helping Jarkiholi when the cooperative banks were incurring losses. According to Lakshman, Somashekar helped Jharkiholi get a loan waiver.

He alleged that the former minister took loans to the tune of Rs 366 crore from various cooperative banks to set up a sugar factory.

The former minister failed to clear Rs 50 crore dues to sugarcane growers and has defaulted payment of Rs 200 crore in income tax, Lakshman alleged.

Though the Chairman of the Karnataka State Co-Operative Apex Bank Ltd, Belli Prakash, who is also a BJP MLA, had written to the Belagavi administration seeking action against the former minister, the officials have failed to act, Lakshman claimed.