Irrigation Minister and BJP leader Ramesh Jarkiholi’s meeting with Devendra Fadnavis, former Maharashtra Chief Minister, has caused speculation that the BJP is trying to topple the Shiv Sena-led alliance government in the neighbouring State.
Mr. Jarkiholi, who claimed to have engineered the resignations of over 20 Congress MLAs to aid B.S. Yediyurappa become the Chief Minister last year, met Mr. Fadnavis in Mumbai on Thursday, the day when BJP national president J.P. Nadda was in the city to address party workers.
Mr. Nadda’s statement that the BJP was bound to form a government and install Mr. Fadnavis as the Chief Minister in Maharashtra further fuelled rumours. This is the second time in less than a month that the two leaders are meeting. Mr. Jarkiholi had met Mr. Fadnavis in a private hotel outside Mumbai in the last week of September.
Congress leaders in Belagavi district suspect that the BJP may be trying another season of ‘Operation lotus’ and using Mr. Jarkiholi’s “experience” for the purpose. “Mr. Jarkiholi has several friends among the Congress and NCP MLAs in Maharashtra. He has long-standing business relations with some owing to their interest in sugar factories and molasses business. Some others have been introduced to him by his brothers-in-law Ambirao Patil and Appirao Patil who hail from Maharashtra,” said a Congress leader.
“The BJP may be trying all kinds of tricks to come to power. But they will not succeed. The coalition government in Maharashtra is very stable,” said Satish Jarkiholi, KPCC working president and brother of Mr. Ramesh Jarkiholi.
BJP leaders, however, said there was no such plan. “We are carrying out the role of a constructive Opposition in Maharashtra and we are not doing anything to dislodge the government there,” said Sanjay Patil, BJP district unit president
Some farmers’ leaders have questioned Mr. Ramesh Jarkiholi’s “haste” in visiting Maharashtra for political reasons. Mr. Ramesh Jarkiholi’s sojourn has also faced criticism.
“The Minister has not rushed to Maharashtra to resolves issues of flooding in the Krishna basin or the water sharing disputes of the Krishna or the Mahadayi, despite repeated requests from farmers’ organisations,” said Jayashree Gurannanavar, a farmers’ leader.
