Belgaum: BJP MLA, Balachandra Jarkiholi, who had stayed away from campaigning for his party in the recent Lok Sabha election on account of his spat with MP, Suresh Angadi, has now been persuaded to do his bit for the BJP in the Chikkodi-Sadalaga bypoll.
Aware of the damage his absence had caused the party, which won far less votes than it had anticipated both in Gokak and Mr Balachandra’s Arbhavi constituency in the LS poll, a team of leaders headed by Mr K.S. Eshwarappa reportedly met him to persuade him to join the BJP’s campaign this time.
The meeting appeared to pacify Mr Balachandra as he was later seen campaigning for the BJP in Shirgaon and Chikkodi.
His turnaround has to have come as a huge relief to the BJP as he had openly opposed Mr Angadi in the Lok Sabha election and indirectly supported the Congress candidate, giving party leaders much heartburn. While the BJP still went on to win from Belgaum parliamentary constituency, it did not want to take any chances these elections and so sent Mr Eshwarappa to offer an olive branch to the MLA, according to sources.
Moreover, with Mr Balachandra on its side the BJP could gain a major chunk of Kuruba voters, who are next only to Lingayats in number in Chikkodi-Sadalga constituency, they point out.
But Mr Balachandra’s involvement in the BJP campaign has come as a surprise to many Congress leaders who expected all four Jarkiholi brothers to support their candidate either directly or indirectly in the bypoll.
