Lakhan Jarkiholi takes the plunge: Gokak MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi

Hubballi: A day after announcement of the date for the Assembly by-elections in the state, Lakhan Jarkiholi has stepped up his campaign in  Gokak though the Congress has not formally declared the candidature for the constituency,

 Lakhan claimed that he will take on his brother and disqualified Gokak MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi head-on by entering  the poll fray. The electoral battle in the constituency has turned out to be a matter of  prestige among the Jarkiholi brothers as Ramesh had led the team of disqualified legislators who toppled the previous JD(S)-Congress government.

 "I have been in the Congress party since  25 years. The toss is just over and the match is yet to begin. I have chosen batting first. We have to give the target to chase 140 runs in 60 balls to our rivals", Lakhan Jarkiholi said in Dhupadal village. He was referring to the declaration of the byelection date in a very short period after Ramesh's disqualification while indirectly hinting that providing more time to Ramesh to prepare for the by-election would only help him. The villagers  accorded a rousing welcome to Lakhan who was accompanied by his brother and Congress leader Satish Jarkiholi. Asserting that he will contest on the Congress ticket, Lakhan lashed out against all three brothers-in-law of Ramesh Jarkiholi asserting that their corruption had crossed the limits. He also alleged that they had misguided Ramesh and made him team up with the BJP.

 Terming his first electoral fight as an ‘IAS examination,’ he said that his real test has begun only after declaration of the by-poll date by the Election Commission for Gokak  constituency.