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Belagavi mayor accuses Jarkiholi of interference, seeks to meet governor
Belagavi Mayor Shobha Somanache has written a letter to the Governor, seeking an appointment to discuss interference by a district minister.
Belagavi Mayor Shobha Somanache has written a letter to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot, seeking an appointment to apprise him of the “undue interference” by Belagavi district in-charge minister Satish Jarkiholi in her administration, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
She has also asked Belagavi Regional Commissioner Sanjay Shettennavar to initiate criminal proceedings against three Belagavi Corporation officials for allegedly misrepresenting resolutions passed during a general body meeting.
In her letter dated October 24, written in Kannada, Mayor Shobha expressed her inability to fulfil her duties freely and fairly due to the minister’s interference in her administration. She claimed that the minister was misusing his power to manipulate officials into making mistakes and acting against the state government’s instructions.
She said the action had resulted in issuance of a show cause notice by the government to the Belagavi City Corporation (BCC) over potential dismissal for failing to comply with its directives. In her letter, Shobha indicated that 35 BJP corporators, including herself, would meet with the Governor, if granted an appointment.
On October 17, Shobha wrote a letter to Belagavi Regional Commissioner Shettennavar, seeking to register a criminal case against Commissioner Dudaganti, Council Secretary Uma Betageri, and Revenue Officer Reshma Talikoti. She had alleged that these officials had forwarded an inaccurate report of the resolutions adopted during the general body meeting held on September 16.
“This discrepancy prompted the government to issue a show-cause notice about superseding the body. While the government issued the notice on September 21, it did not specify a deadline for a response,” she said.
Meanwhile, Jarkiholi termed the letter by Shobha a political vendetta. “BCC Commissioner Dudaganti, a senior Karnataka Administrative Service official awaiting to be promoted as IAS, could face a setback if the union government investigates through BJP-recommended agencies. The mayor and her party members are attempting to blackmail the commissioner by involving union government agencies,” he said.
