Both leaders are said to have met at a secret location in Chikkodi and reached an agreement on  helping each other to defeat their opposite candidates in their respective constituencies.

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While Shettar is taking on Congress candidate Mrunal Hebbalkar, son of Women and Child Welfare Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar, Priyanka Jarkiholi is facing Anna Saheb Jolle, the sitting BJP in Chikodi parliamentary seat.

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The common mission of Shettar and Jarkiholi was to help each other in the  transfer of votes of their respective parties, and trounce Mrunal in Belagavi and Jolle in Chikkodi.

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Satish Jarkiholi and Deputy Chief minister D.K.Shivakumar have fallen out after the latter began promoting Lakshmi Hebbalkar as a parallel force in Belagavi district, and had boycotted all the functions and programs attended by the 'Kanakapura bande' in Belagavi.

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The Jarkiholi brothers, who have been controlling Belagavi district politically for the last so many years are determined to thwart the move by the D.K.Shivakumar lobby to boost Lakshmi Hebbalkar.

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Lakshmi has already got her brother, Channaraj Hattiholi elected to the Legislative Council and now she wants her son to enter politics. The Jarkiholis feel that Lakshmi Hebbalkar is slowly gaining control over the Belagavi district.

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With this in mind, Satish is learnt to have promised to help in the transfer of traditional Congress votes to the BJP. In return, Shettar has agreed to use his influence to push the BJP votes in Chikodi to Priyanka. By doing so,  Mrunal Hebbalkar would be defeated in Belagavi and similarly,  Jolle in Chikkodi which would clear the way for Priyanka to enter the Lok Sabha.

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The sources claimed that Satish Jarkiholi  still enjoys support at the grassroots level, that he can tap to help Shettar win.

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Similarly, Shettar will help Priyanka in his personal capacity to win the poll battle.

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Lakshmi Hebbalkar, aware of the threat posed by Shettar has termed him an outsider and also appealed to the Panchamasali sects within the Veerashaiva/lingayat community in a bid to grab the Panchamasali votes. She has been one among several leaders who had led the agitation by Panchamasali community who are seeking a hike in reservation.

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The promise which was never fulfilled by the previous BJP government,  resulted in the defeat of the saffron party in the 2023 Assembly election.

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As the Hebbalkars and Jarkiholis position themselves for the control of Belagavi district, insiders said the damage to the Congress over this miscalculation by a key strategist like Shivakumar could come at a high cost.

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