BJP leaders from Belagavi, including Mayor Shobha Somanache and Member of Legislative Assembly Abhay Patil, have complained to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot that district in-charge Minister Satish Jarkiholi is interfering in the affairs of the Belagavi City Corporation.
Ms. Somanache, some city corporation members and other party leaders met the Governor who was in Belagavi for a meeting on Friday.
They complained to him that the Minister has been threatening them saying that the State government will supersede the urban local body on false charges. The Minister is also using some officers who are loyal to him to mislead the government and create false evidence against the elected body. The Minister has taken objection to the corporation’s delay in increasing property tax rates in the city. This is a false allegation, as the corporation has already decided to do it, they said in a letter to the Governor.
Mr. Patil said that the Governor has assured them of action against the Minister, if it is found that he is planning supersession of the local body without sufficient cause.
The BJP-dominated city corporation has witnessed some heated discussions between leaders in the past. Mr. Patil has accused the Minister of plotting against BJP members in the corporation.
Satish Jarkiholi has, in turn, accused Mr. Patil of influencing corporation members to willfully violate government instructions and fudge documents. The Minister has accused Mr. Patil of trying to blackmail officers by stalling their promotions.
The city corporation adopted a resolution to order an inquiry into the theft and fudging of documents by some officers. It has also written to the UPSC, DPAR and DoPT against corporation commissioner Ashok Dudagunti and other officials.
The former MLA Anil Benake, the former MLC Mahantesh Kavatgimath and others were part of the delegation.
