Minister says he did not blame State-level Congress leaders for poll debacle

Minister Satish Jarkiholi has clarified that he did not speak about State-level Congress leaders when he likened political leaders to unsuccessful film directors while analysing the recent Lok Sabha poll results in Belagavi.

Minister Satish Jarkiholi has clarified that he did not speak about State-level Congress leaders when he likened political leaders to unsuccessful film directors while analysing the recent Lok Sabha poll results in Belagavi.

“I said that a film can do well only when the actors, director and producers work properly and in tandem. I was referring to the candidates and local leaders who managed the elections. I did not hint at State-level party leaders,” he told reporters here on Friday.

He was responding to a reaction by KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar that Satish Jarkiholi had to be sent to a mental hospital for finding fault with party leaders for the poll debacle of the party candidates.

He also said that Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar should introspect the failure of her son and Congress candidate Mrunal Hebbalkar in the Lok Sabha polls in Belagavi.

“No one else is responsible for that. Only the candidate and his poll managers are responsible for the kind of result they got,” he said. “We have to work hard to gain the love of the people. No religious ritual or black magic will help us win the polls,” he said.

He also said that he was not complaining to the party high command against any Congress leader, though he would discuss the matter in the appropriate forum.

He said that his daughter and Congress nominee Priyanka Jarkiholi had got less votes than expected as Congress legislators, Laxman Savadi from Athani and Mahendra Tammannanavar from Kudachi, had not worked hard enough.