Karnataka elections: Winds of change strike Jarkiholi, Katti brothers in Belagavi district

BENGALURU: The recent political setbacks suffered by the powerful Jarkiholis and Kattis, whom people call sahukars (landlords), have fuelled a debate on whether they are losing their grip over Belagavi district.


The Katti brothers, who dominated district politics along with the Jarkiholis for over two decades, suffered a loss of face when they were pipped in the race for the BJP ticket by political minnows — the Jolle couple. Annasaheb Jolle, husband of Nippani MLA Shashikala Jolle, outwitted former minister Umesh V Katti’s brother Ramesh in securing the BJP ticket for Chikkodi segment.

Despite losing to Congress’ Prakash Hukkeri by a slender margin of over 3,000 votes in 2014, Ramesh, a former MP, was confident of getting the ticket this time too, considering the clout he and his brother enjoy in the region. The Kattis lobbied hard with the high command and reportedly threatened to quit the party if they were denied the ticket. But the party picked Annasaheb, a staunch RSS worker who runs a bank, a school for the physically challenged and an NGO.

Umesh Katti did not hold his resentment the day the candidature was announced. He told reporters to wait till the last date for filing nominations. He was hoping the party would wilt under his ‘threat’. Aware of the Katti brothers’ brand of politics, people expected some drastic step by the siblings, but that was not to be.

“It was a surprising development as far as the Kattis are concerned,” said political analyst Ashok Chandaragi. “We have heard Umesh Katti saying he carries B forms of all parties in his pocket and he can choose as per his wish. The same leader failed to get the ticket for his brother.”

Like the Kattis, the Jarkiholis have also been put on the back foot by their political adversaries probably for the first time in the recent past. They suffered embarrassment at the hands of Belagavi Rural MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar in the PLD Bank elections last year. Later, Ramesh Jarkiholi’s differences with water resources minister DK Shivakumar cost him a berth in the cabinet.

It is said that the Jarkiholis wanted to field their followers — either Vivekarao Patil or Khanapur MLA Anjali Nimbalkar — from Belagavi, but did not succeed. Other leaders in the district reportedly recommended the name of Shivakant Sidnal, son of former MP late SB Sidnal.

“It was only after their choices were rejected that they managed to get the ticket to SV Sadhunavar as a compromise candidate,” a Congress leader from Bailhongal said.