Days after ED searches, Jarkiholi flies to KDP meet in private helicopter

Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi flew to the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi in his private helicopter to attend the Karnataka Development Programme review meeting on Wednesday. The Belagavi district in-charge Minister, who was staying at his house in Gokak, landed at the helipad on the SVS premises before the meeting.

Followers of the leader, whose offices and houses were searched by Enforcement Directorate officers last week, believe that he was trying to make a statement. “There is some discussion in the mass media and on social media platforms that the searches had affected the Minister’s mood.

Some media houses indicated that the helicopter was gifted by a company in return for favours. But our leader was trying to send a message to his followers that the searches have not dampened his spirits and that they should not worry about rumours circulating about him,” Munna Bagwan, a close associate, said.

“Satish Jarkiholi usually travels by helicopter to Bengaluru or other district headquarters. But today, he chose this mode of transport to make a statement,” he said. Bailhongal MLA Mahantesh Koujalagi and the Minister’s personal assistant, Basavaraj Jatti, accompanied him.

Senior officials, including Belagavi Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan, Police Commissioner Prakash Nikam, Zilla Panchayat CEO Rahul Shinde and Superintendent of Police K. Ramarajan, welcomed the Minister with bouquets.

MLAs Babasaheb Patil, Asif Sait and Vishwas Vaidya, besides several other leaders and officials, were present.