Karnataka: After 2 years, a Jarkiholi is back in cabinet | Bengaluru - Hindustan Times
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Karnataka: After 2 years, a Jarkiholi is back in cabinet

By, Belagavi
May 22, 2023 12:58 AM IST

The Jarkiholi family returns to political glory after over two years with Satish Jarkiholi’s induction into Siddaramaiah’s cabinet on Saturday.

The politically powerful Jarkiholi family in north Karnataka’s Belagavi district is back to its past glory as Satish, one of the brothers, has been inducted in the cabinet of Siddaramaiah-led Congress government.

Jarkiholi family returns to political glory as Satish Jarkiholi’s gets ministerial berth (PTI)
Jarkiholi family returns to political glory as Satish Jarkiholi’s gets ministerial berth (PTI)

The family which enjoyed powerful positions in all the governments since 1998, had a setback for about two-and-a-half years over the resignation of Ramesh, who landed in the alleged sex scandal in 2021. Except the last two years, the Jarkiholi family has enjoyed ministerial berths in all the governments.

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“For the first time in the last 25 years my family was out of political power for about two years. Now, with the induction of my elder brother Satish, we are back to being the power centre,” Lakhan Jarkiholi said.

Lakhan, elected as an independent member to the state legislative council said, “The peoples’ mandate might have changed the government in the state, but the Jarkiholi family known as the ‘king maker’ has always protected the political interests of our family.”

Though divided politically, the brothers remain in support of each other during critical times and ensure each other’s victory in the election. Ramesh and Balachandra are in the BJP, Satish is in the Congress and Lakhan is an independent legislator for the council. Except Lakhan, the other three were ministers in all the governments since 1998.

The family also has a record of not being defeated to any outside candidate in the election since 1998. However, Lakhan and Bhimasi lost the election against their elder brother Ramesh from Gokak constituency earlier. Except this, no one has defeated Ramesh, Satish and Balachandra.

Lakhan said that his family is closely knitted and stays united even in the face of adversity. “Not only us four brothers but each and every member of our family stood by each other when our elder brother Ramesh landed in a sex scandal,” he said.

Lakhan who unsuccessfully contested the election against Ramesh from Gokak constituency in the last decade said whatever the outcome of the contest, they ensure that at least one person from the family is in a powerful position in the government.

The Gokak based Jarkiholi family, except from 2021 to till date, has enjoyed the ministership in all the governments from 1998. Ramesh Jarkiholi who was the irrigation minister in Basavaraj Bommai government resigned after he was allegedly caught in a sex scandal in 2021. The Jarkiholi family, for the first time which was out of the power is now back in action with the entry of Satish.

Now, Satish, who was the forest and environment minister in the previous Congress government has assumed oath as minister in the Siddaramaiah government. The change in power has neither disappointed nor caused any celebration in the family. “We are not bothered who gets what position, we just want one among us in power, said MLC Lakhan, the youngest among the five brothers in the Jarkiholi family.

Satish, known as the ‘master mind’ of the family, whom the family respects and honors his decisions, said that his family has an unwritten rule that no one in the family should ask for any favour from the one in the government, unless it is a public related work.

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