Belagavi (DHNS): KPCC Working President Ishwar Khandre said that differences in opinion between Belagavi district in-charge Ramesh Jarkiholi, his brother MLA Satish Jarkiholi, and KPCC Women's Wing President & MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar, were amicably resolved.

Bone of contention

Elections for the post of president and vice president of Belagavi Taluk Primary and Rural Development (BTPRD) Bank, that was the bone of contention between the Jarkiholis and Hebbalkar, were held on Friday.

The president and vice-president were unanimously elected, bringing the curtains down on the issue that had led to conflict between the Jarkiholis and Hebbalkar.

Speaking to reporters in Belagavi on Friday, with both Laxmi Hebbalkar and Satish Jarkiholi by his side, Khandre said, a communication gap between Jarkiholi brothers and Hebbalkar, had led to the issue getting blown out of proportion.

Local issue, local leaders

"Talks were held with Laxmi, Satish and Ramesh (over phone as he is at a religious programme in Khanapur). Both sides admitted that there was miscommunication, and agreed to set aside their differences. Minor issues must not pose a threat to party unity," he remarked.

Khandre also stated that there was no threat to the Congress-JD(S) government and the BTPRD Bank polls were a local issue, between local leaders. Satish Jarkiholi said even KPCC President Dinesh Gundu Rao also played a role in resolving the local issue.

Satish alleged that differences were created by BTPRD Bank director Bapugouda Patil. "As directed by Ramesh, Mahadev Patil of the Maratha community has been elected president and Bapusab Jamadar vice president," he explained.

Hebbalkar denied comment on statements made against her by the Jarkiholi brothers.

BTPRD Bank polls

The president and vice president of the Belagavi Taluk Primary Cooperative and Rural Development (BTPRD) Bank were elected unopposed in Belagavi on Friday. Mahadev Patil and Bapusaheb Jamadar were elected -president and vice president
respectively.

With this, MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar (Belagavi Rural Constituency) gained the upper hand; as both the elected office bearers are candidates she was backing.

Nominations began at 10 am. Tahasildar Manjula Nayak was the Returning Officer. The polls were conducted under tight police security at Mahadwar road.

Laxmi Hebbalkar, had locked horns with the Jarkiholi brothers-- Ramesh and Satish--over the BTPRD polls. She arrived at the bank with the directors she was backing and supervised the filing of their nominations.

Meanwhile, candidates backed by Satish Jarkiholi did not file their nominations. So, both the president and vice president were elected unopposed.