Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA and former Karnataka minister Ramesh Jarkiholi stirred a political controversy after he said that he would тАЬgive тВ╣6,000 to each voterтАЭ before the state assembly elections due in May.
Jarkiholi was speaking at a rally organised by his supporters in Sulebavi village in Belagavi Rural constituency on Friday. The remark came during his attack on Congress MLA Lakshmi Hebbalkar, who represents the area.
тАЬI see that she is distributing gifts to voters in the constituency. Till now, she must have given kitchen appliances, such as a cooker and mixer, worth around тВ╣1,000. She might give another set of gifts. All that together may cost around тВ╣3,000. I urge you not to vote for our candidate if we donтАЩt give you тВ╣6,000,тАЭ he said.
However, he said that in the six elections, he has successfully fought till now, he has not spent money. тАЬMy supporters campaign with their own money. I donтАЩt give them any money,тАЭ he said
тАЬBeing in the Congress party during the last elections, I campaigned for her and got her elected. All those who are loyal to me worked tirelessly for her. We thought she would be a good candidate and work for the people of this constituency. But that did not happen. But she became disloyal, amassed wealth and did not develop the constituency. In the past five years, she developed herself. You can see how many clubs and wine shops have been opened along the roadsides in the past few years,тАЭ he added.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Hebbalkar denied distributing gifts to voters and claimed that utensils were prizes distributed to women who had won competitions organised by The Lakshmi Tayi Foundation. тАЬIf they were political gifts, I should have been distributing them equally among men and women,тАЭ she said.
Further, Hebbalkar urged the Election Commission to take action against Jarkiholi. тАЬHe has openly announced that he will give gifts worth тВ╣6,000 to each voter. He has said he will spend more money than his opponents. LetтАЩs see what action the Election Commission of India takes against these claims,тАЭ she said.
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