Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai will unveil Chhatrapati Shivaji statue today

BELAGAVI: Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai will unveil the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji atop the historical Rajahansgad fort, 20 km from here, on Thursday.
The issue of unveiling the statue sparked a contest of sorts between Jarkiholi and local MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar. Hebbalkar wanted to unveil the statue with AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and leaders from the state and even Maharashtra.
However, Ramesh Jarkiholi, who is leaving no stone unturned to defeat Hebbalkar in the Belagavi (rural) constituency and organising conventions, had objected the plans of Hebbalkar making the event Congress-centric to grab credit.
Claiming that the fort has been developed in the government funds, it should be the government programme and it should be held according to the protocol.
Ramesh Jarkiholi and other BJP leaders wanted that the statue be unveiled by the CM. Bommai will unveil the statue on Thursday.
The Congress faction led by Hebbalkar has decided to boycott the programme. They have decided to hold a separate event on March 5 at the fort.
"With what moral right are BJP leaders going to unveil the statue of Shivaji? I have done the work atop the fort. It's a shame to BJP leaders that they have conspired to get the credit for the work done by me," Hebbalkar said while addressing the Prajadhwani Yatre at Pant Balekundri.
She also alleged that BJP district (rural) president and former MLA Sanjay Patil had illegally sold the bauxite-mixed soil of the Rajahansgad fort to crores of rupees in the name of development.
She also took former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi to task, saying that he is the person who runs the 'republic of Gokak', where Rs 10 lakh is fixed at the sub-registrar office on the buying and selling of each acre of land.
She said: "Nagesh Mannolkar, who is a Ramesh Jarkiholi supported aspirant for the BJP ticket to contest from Belagavi (rural) constituency, had come to me in 2018 to join the Congress. He was demanded Rs 40 lakh from me."