Belgaum: The expansion of the Janata Dal (Secular)-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition Ministry has disappointed the rank and file in the district BJP, while there is an apparent mood of celebration in the Janata Dal (Secular) camp with its youth leader and first-time MLA from Arabhavi Balachandra Jarakiholi catapulting to Ministerial position.

Mr. Jarakiholi is the only first-time MLA from Janata Dal (Secular) to be sworn in Minister and becomes youngest in the Ministry.

According to sources, ignoring the demand of district BJP to accommodate two of the eight party MLAs from the district has shocked BJP leaders and workers in the district.

Though the feeling is disappointment and of "let down" is apparent, no BJP leader wants to go record to register protest fearing that it might affect to the working relationship between the two coalition partners in the State.

The BJP won eight of the 18 Assembly seats in the district. It also bagged both the Lok Sabha seats of Belgaum and Chikkodi (SC). It was only Mr. Jarakiholi who got elected on Janata Dal (Secular) ticket against the heavy weight V.S. Koujalgi, former Minister and former Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president.

Sources told The Hindu that the leadership in the district unit of BJP, which is apparently divided with youth leaders and workers openly identifying with at least two groups led by Suresh Angadi, MP, and another led by Abhay Kumar Patil, MLA, could not to arrive at a consensus over the candidature, including Mr. Patil. The lack of unanimity is stated to have forced the leadership to keep the issue in abeyance for the time being.

However, the party leaders are hopeful of getting justice in the next expansion or at the time of appointing chairpersons to various boards and corporations.

Coincidence

Interestingly, a rare coincidence is seen with all the first-time MLAs from Arabhavi proving lucky to become Ministers. When V.S. Koujalgi was elected for the first time in 1972, he became the Minister for Sericulture. However, there was an aberration in his nearly 30 years of successful electoral career when R.M. Patil of Janata Party defeated him in 1985 polls and also became Minister.

Balachandra Jarakiholi, younger brother of All India Progressive Janata Dal leader and former Minister Satish Jarakiholi, MLC, and Congress MLA Ramesh Jarakiholi from Gokak taluk is a graduate in commerce. He has been winning every election he contested since 1992

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