Daijiworld Media Network - Belagavi (SP)

Belagavi, Sep 7: The Jarkiholi brothers and MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar are involved in a fierce battle to wrest control of PLD Bank here. They have not cared to pay heed to high command instructions.

There is apprehension of this tussle putting the coalition government in peril. In this fight, Laxmi Hebbalkar has taken upon current minister, Ramesh Jarkiholi and former minister Satish Jarkiholi. Although the state in-charge of Congress affair, K C Venugopal, had instructed both sides to enter into a compromise, they have not done so.

The two sides are attacking each other. While Jarkiholi brothers claim that they were the ones who helped Hebbalkar to rise in politics, Laxmi says that she had lent Rs 90 crore to the brothers.

If Jarkiholi brothers, who have tremendous clout in the district, taste defeat, the coalition government can face risk, it is being analyzed.

Sources say that most of the directors of PLD Bank here have been supporting Hebbalkar. This has angered Jarkiholi as they are of the opinion that one of the bank directors, who was loyal to them, has turned the tables on them by turning close to Hebbalkar. Jarkiholi brothers have already warned that they will have to show their strength, if they face reverses in this election. The rivalry between these two camps has become so fierce that fight appears imminent.

Election to PLD Bank is being held on Friday. Although former chief minister, Siddaramaiah, who is deemed to be close to Jarkiholi family, was asked to settle the issue, he is on foreign tour now.

Minister Shivananda Patil says that Belagavi development is not too much worrying and that the issue would be sorted out.

In the meantime, taluk panchayat executive officer here, S K Patil, has been transferred to Chikkodi. Reportedly, Laxmi Hebbalkar had a hand in this transfer.

In the meantime, Congress high command, under threat of its image getting a beating, has given strict orders to both the camps to shut up. After getting orders from top bosses at the national level, Venugopal, who along with KPCC president, Dinesh Gundu Rao, participated in the meeting of Pradesh Congress presidents at New Delhi on Thursday, called Jarkiholi brothers and Laxmi Hebbalkar over phone to convey to them the party top leadership's order to stop issuing public statements. They have been told that the party is prepared to settle issues if any between the two sides.

The election to PLD Bank was to be held on August 28, but it was postponed by the tahasildar, who is the electoral officer, suddenly at the last minute. As the Dharwad bench of the high court ordered him to conduct election before September 7, the electoral officer has fixed September 7 as the date for the election.

Venugopal is also learnt to have asked working president of KPCC, Ishwar Khandre, to talk to the warring leaders and douse the situation. Chief minister, H D Kumaraswamy, worried over the clash of personalities, has advised deputy chief minister, Dr G Parameshwar, to handle the matter judiciously, sources said.