Ramesh Jarkiholi says he had funded pressure cookers distributed by Congress candidate

Water Resources and District Incharge Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi stirred a new controversy by stating the pressure cookers distributed to voters by the then Congress candidate in the year 2018 assembly election from Belagavi Rural Assembly Constituency were funded by him as part of efforts to get all the party candidates elected from the district.

Jarkiholi inaugurated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Belagavi Rural Unit office at Vijay Nagar near here on Tuesday.

Addressing party workers, he said, myself made efforts for the victory of Congress candidate during the assembly election as party leader and that resulted in injustice to former MLA Sanjay Patil who was BJP candidate. Now we shall make all efforts to ensure that in the 2023 assembly election BJP candidate selected by party high command gets elected comfortably and its possible by unity and hard work of party workers and supporters.

“Pressure cookers distributed by Congress candidate during the previous election were funded by me and it has become like celebrating a fair with somebody’s money. Are they (pressure cookers) still in use,” he asked without taking name of MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar.

Jarkiholi said, "BJP workers have the power to decimate the Congress. Incumbent Belagavi Rural MLA was proud of money power. I was prepared to give all cooperation for the victory of party candidate, hence party workers and supporters should not fall victim to lures shown by the Opposition as we have to hoist BJP flag in the 2023 assembly election."

"We have to win the election for Belagavi District Central Cooperative Bank and its not contested on party symbols. Need to brace up for Gram Panchayat, Zilla Panchayat and all elections. We are ready to pay double the amount offered by opposition from our pockets and if needed borrow loans. We have hard earned money and not easy money," Jarkiholi stated.

Later speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a meeting in the city, Jarkiholi said, he stands by the statement that the pressure cookers distributed were funded by him and will do everything to ensure victory of party candidate from Belagavi Rural Assembly Constituency.