Jarkiholis, Jolles, Kattis: Families That Control Belagavi's Politics & Fortunes

Belagavi locals often joke that no matter what party is in power, one of the Jarkiholis will always be a minister.

Laxmanrao Jarkiholi was an influential businessman in Karnataka's Belagavi in the 1960s. An excise contractor and owner of several petrol pumps, his rags to riches story is widely known in the entire region, which is the second largest on Karnataka's electoral map with 18 Assembly seats.

Little did he know that five of his sons from two marriages - Ramesh, Satish, Balachandra, Bhimashi, and Lakhan, will not only dominate the politics of the entire district one day, but will also expand the family businesses to dominate sugar factories, a mining factory, educational institutes, and cooperative societies.

The locals in Belagavi often joke that no matter which government is in power, one member of the Jarkiholi family will always be a minister. Like the Jarkiholis, the Jolles and the Kattis too influence the politics of north Karnataka while owning sugar factories and educational institutes.

Interestingly, except for Satish Jarkiholi, all three families are currently associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). While many of them have traditionally been with the saffron party, several of them have had their share of party-hopping between the Congress and the JD(S) through the years.

The Jarkiholis

The family belongs to the Valmiki Nayaka community designated as a Scheduled Tribe in the state and enjoys support of SC/ST, Muslim, and Christian voters of the region.

While Ramesh and Bhalachandra are in the BJP, Satish is a staunch Congress leader. Lakhan is an independent MLC but has been campaigning for Ramesh for the upcoming polls.

The wealth of the Jarkiholis, known to splurge in family events and weddings, is driven by inheritance, trading in Indian-made foreign liquor, and sugar and molasses production across five factories in north Karnataka.

Ramesh Jarkiholi:

The eldest of the four Jarkiholi brothers is undisputedly the most influential politician in the family and currently represents the Gokak constituency for the BJP.

Ramesh, who was was one of the most prominent Congress leaders of the from this region for close to 4 decades, switched sides to the BJP and led to the downfall of the Congress-JD(S) government in Karnataka in 2019.

Ramesh Jarkiholi has represented Gokak for five consecutive terms since 1999 and is looking to make a comeback for the sixth consecutive term in the upcoming elections. This is the second time he is contesting on a BJP ticket after he contested the bypoll in 2019 following his disqualification under the anti-defection law.

According to local political observers, not everything is well between Ramesh and the state BJP unit, as the former mostly "functions independently."

One of the prominent signs of this claim can be gauged by Ramesh's remarks at a public rally in early April where he said that party must leave the distribution of at least 16 of the 18 Belagavi seats to him. "I can ensure victory in at least 14 of the seats," he said, leading to unrest in the local veteran leaders. Matters escalated further after Ramesh, without the party's approval, started campaigning for his followers Mahesh Kumathalli in Athani (sitting BJP MLA and Congress turncoat), Raosaheb Patil in Nippani (represented by BJP's Shashikala Jolle), and Nagesh Munnolkar in Belagavi rural (currently being held by Congress' Lakshmi Hebbalkar).

The move irked Shashikala Jolle who has held the Nippani seat for two consecutive terms since 2013. The Nippani ticket for the upcoming elections was eventually given to Jolle.

Sources say that several local leaders are also not happy with Jarkiholi's additional focus on the Belagavi rural seat with the aim to defeat friend-turned-foe Lakshmi Hebbalkar of the Congress over personal rivalry.

First, Ramesh succeeded in securing a ticket for the seat for his staunch follower Munnolkar sidelining Sanjay Patil who won the seat in 2013 and lost it to Hebbalkar in 2018. Following the ticket distribution, 80 of Patil's supporters, including former Belagavi rural President, resigned from the party.

Ramesh has personally been holding several campaigns and public meetings with BJP workers in the constituency to ensure Munnolkar's victory.

Jarkiholi, who was a minister in former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa’s government, had to step down after he was allegedly caught on spy camera during a sexual exchange with a woman. The woman in the video clip, on 22 September, gave her statement before the Karnataka High Court, accusing Jarkiholi of sexually abusing her in exchange for a job.

However, the SIT formed to probe the allegations against Jarkiholi, gave him a clean chit in February 2022, stating that there is no evidence to prove the rape charge or the other allegations made against him. Nevertheless, the scandal did come as a huge embarrassment for the BJP back then.

Satish Jarkiholi:

A three-time Congress MLA from the Yemkanmardi Assembly constituency, Satish Jarkiholi is looking to retain the seat for the fourth consecutive time. A leader known for his staunch stand against superstitions, he is known to hold several of his campaigns at graveyards.

On 6 December every year, he holds campaigns at graveyards where he is known to hold talks and events against superstitions. His followers even spend nights and cook meals in the graveyard.

Satish draws his base among the progressive and rationalist voters. He was one of the staunch supporters of the Anti-Superstition Bill in the state during the Siddaramaiah government.

Balachandra Jarkiholi:

Balachandra has held the Arabhavi seat, a traditional Congress bastion, for the past five consecutive terms since 2004. While he contested on a JD(S) ticket for the first two terms, Balachandra switched to the BJP and won the seat again in a bypoll held in 2009 and then in 2013 and 2018.

Currently the head of Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), Balachandra has significant clout in the Belagavi region. Earlier in March, he also proposed to broker peace between Ramesh, Laxman Savadi, and the Jolles.

Several within the party had also demanded for him to be replaced as the cabinet minister after his brother Ramesh was asked to step down following the sex CD scandal.

Bhimashi Jarkiholi:

In 2008, Bhimashi was pitted against Ramesh in Gokak by the BJP but lost. He has been politically inactive since.

Lakhan Jarkiholi:

A staunch loyalist of Ramesh, Lakhan tasted political success in December 2021 in which he won the MLC polls in Belagavi as an independent candidate.

Several BJP leaders not only blamed Ramesh for the defeat of party leader Mahantesh Kavatagimath who had won the two past elections for the party, but also alleged that Ramesh used his clout and support to ensure Lakhan's victory.

Lakhan is now actively campaigning for Ramesh in Gokak.

The Kattis

Descendants of politician Vishwanath Katti, the family has significant influence among the Veerashaiva Lingayats.

Eight-time MLA Umesh Katti who passed away in September last year was the most influential politician in the family.

Other than the Veerashaiva Lingayats, the family has significant influence among bothg Marathi and Kannada-speaking voters. Like the Jarkiholis and Jolles, the Kattis too run cooperative societies and two factories under the banner of Vishwanath Sugars.

Nikhil Katti:

The upcoming elections will see the third generation of the Kattis entering the Karnataka politics after the BJP gave the Hukkeri ticket to Nikhil Katti, son of eight-time MLA and six-time minister Umesh Katti who passed away in September last year.

The BJP is looking to get sympathy votes of the Veerashaiva Lingayats in the constituency, following the demise of Umesh Katti who was one of the most prominent leaders of north Karnataka.

Nikhil, experts say, is looking to bank on his family's illustrious political legacy spanning six decades. His grandfather Vishwanath Katti was also an MLA from Hukkeri.

Ramesh Katti:

The BJP is banking on Umesh Katti's brother Ramesh in the Chikkodi-Sadalga seat. Ramesh, who represented the Chikkodi Lok Sabha constituency from 2009-2014, will be in direct contest with Congress' Ganesh Hukkeri who has been winning the Assembly seat since 2014.

The Jolles

The entry of Anasaheb Jolle and Sashikala Jolle into the BJP is credited to their proximity with two-time Rajya Sabha MP and owner of a chain of hospitals in north Karnataka - Prabhakar Kore. The Jolles themselves are known to run several educational institutes, co-operative societies, and a sugar factory called Basavajyoti Sugars Ltd.

Panchamasali Lingayats by caste, the Jolles enjoy significant support of the community electorally.

Shashikala Jolle

Sitting BJP MLA Shashikala Jolle, who defeated Kakasaheb Patil of the Congress twice in 2013 and 2018, will face a three-cornered contest this time in Nippani with the entry of Uttam Patil contesting on a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ticket.

Considering the high percentage of Marathi voters in the constituency, the entry of Uttam is expected to dent votes of both Jolle and Patil this time.

Both Jolle and Patil have been trying to woo voters over the development work done by each of them during their respective tenures, Jolle was recently left red-faced after villagers in Nippani's Galataga gheraoed her over lack of development work.

Patil, meanwhile, has been appealing voters to vote for him "one last time" and give him a befitting political farewell.

Annasaheb Jolle:

Shashikala's husband Annasaheb Jolle contested from the Chikkodi-Sadalga Assembly constituency but lost to Congress' Ganesh Hukkeri.

He then went on to win the 2019 Lok Sabha election from Chikkodi constituency.