{ "id": "epvq4gvb1b", "slug": "laxman-savadi", "title": "Laxman Savadi", "updated": "2026-10-21", "topic_path": [ { "id": "society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society" }, { "id": "society.politics", "label": "Politics and government", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics" }, { "id": "society.politics.institutions", "label": "Government and public administration", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics.institutions" }, { "id": "society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders", "label": "Politicians and government officeholders (biographies)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders" }, { "id": "society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.south-indian-politicians", "label": "South Indian politicians", "api_url": 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"https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.south-indian-politicians.karnataka-kerala-and-puducherry-politici" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.south-indian-politicians.karnataka-kerala-and-puducherry-politici.ministers", "label": "Chief ministers and ministers", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.south-indian-politicians.karnataka-kerala-and-puducherry-politici.ministers" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Laxman Savadi is an Indian politician with the Indian National Congress who serves as Karnataka's Co-operation minister, represents Athani in the assembly, and earlier served as Deputy Chief Minister.", "snippet": "Laxman Savadi is an Indian politician with the Indian National Congress who serves as Karnataka's Co-operation minister, represents Athani in the assembly, and earlier served as Deputy Chief Minister.", "node": "society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.south-indian-politicians.karnataka-kerala-and-puducherry-politici.ministers", "markdown": "# Laxman Savadi\n\nLaxman Savadi is an Indian politician with the [Indian National Congress](https://www.edgepedia.org/indian-national-congress) who serves as a minister in the [Government of Karnataka](https://www.edgepedia.org/government-of-karnataka), holding the Co-operation portfolio excluding Agriculture Marketing.[1](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-laxman-savadi-seen-as-political-counterfoil-to-satish-jarkiholi-in-belagavi-district/article71300640.ece) • [2](https://www.kannadaprabha.com/politics/2026/Aug/03/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-athani-mla-laxman-savadi-gets-cabinet-birth-laxmi-hebbalkar-left-disappointed) He is the member of the [Karnataka Legislative Assembly](https://www.edgepedia.org/karnataka-legislative-assembly) from Athani, first elected there in 2004 and again in 2008 and 2023.[1](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-laxman-savadi-seen-as-political-counterfoil-to-satish-jarkiholi-in-belagavi-district/article71300640.ece) • [2](https://www.kannadaprabha.com/politics/2026/Aug/03/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-athani-mla-laxman-savadi-gets-cabinet-birth-laxmi-hebbalkar-left-disappointed) He earlier served as Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka and as a member of the Legislative Council.[2](https://www.kannadaprabha.com/politics/2026/Aug/03/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-athani-mla-laxman-savadi-gets-cabinet-birth-laxmi-hebbalkar-left-disappointed)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Party | Indian National Congress[1](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-laxman-savadi-seen-as-political-counterfoil-to-satish-jarkiholi-in-belagavi-district/article71300640.ece) |\n| Current office | Minister, Government of Karnataka (Co-operation excluding Agriculture Marketing); Member of Legislative Assembly, Athani (2023–present)[2](https://www.kannadaprabha.com/politics/2026/Aug/03/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-athani-mla-laxman-savadi-gets-cabinet-birth-laxmi-hebbalkar-left-disappointed) |\n| Previous offices | Member of Legislative Assembly, Athani (2004, 2008); Member of Legislative Council; Deputy Chief Minister, Karnataka; Minister, Government of Karnataka[1](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-laxman-savadi-seen-as-political-counterfoil-to-satish-jarkiholi-in-belagavi-district/article71300640.ece) • [2](https://www.kannadaprabha.com/politics/2026/Aug/03/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-athani-mla-laxman-savadi-gets-cabinet-birth-laxmi-hebbalkar-left-disappointed) |\n\n## Party affiliation\n\nSavadi was a member of the [Bharatiya Janata Party](https://www.edgepedia.org/bharatiya-janata-party) (BJP) and served as a minister in a BJP government until 2012.[1](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-laxman-savadi-seen-as-political-counterfoil-to-satish-jarkiholi-in-belagavi-district/article71300640.ece) After the BJP denied him a ticket from Athani, he resigned from the party and joined the Congress, contesting the 2023 Assembly election as the Congress candidate.[2](https://www.kannadaprabha.com/politics/2026/Aug/03/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-athani-mla-laxman-savadi-gets-cabinet-birth-laxmi-hebbalkar-left-disappointed) He is a member of the Indian National Congress as of 2026.[1](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-laxman-savadi-seen-as-political-counterfoil-to-satish-jarkiholi-in-belagavi-district/article71300640.ece)\n\n## Early life and education\n\nSavadi, aged 66 as of August 2026, worked in the co-operative sector of northern [Karnataka](https://www.edgepedia.org/karnataka) before entering electoral politics. By the time he entered electoral politics in 1999, he had completed two terms as a director of the district central co-operative bank in Belagavi district.[1](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-laxman-savadi-seen-as-political-counterfoil-to-satish-jarkiholi-in-belagavi-district/article71300640.ece)\n\n## Career\n\nSavadi contested the 1999 Assembly election from Athani as an independent candidate and lost to the Congress leader Shahajahan Dongargaon. In 2004, he received the BJP ticket and defeated Dongargaon.[1](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-laxman-savadi-seen-as-political-counterfoil-to-satish-jarkiholi-in-belagavi-district/article71300640.ece) He won from Athani again in 2008 and served as a minister in the BJP government until 2012, when he resigned from the cabinet.[1](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-laxman-savadi-seen-as-political-counterfoil-to-satish-jarkiholi-in-belagavi-district/article71300640.ece) He also served one term as a member of the Legislative Council and as Deputy Chief Minister in the BJP government.[2](https://www.kannadaprabha.com/politics/2026/Aug/03/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-athani-mla-laxman-savadi-gets-cabinet-birth-laxmi-hebbalkar-left-disappointed) After the BJP denied him the Athani ticket, he resigned from the party, joined the Congress, and won from Athani as the Congress candidate in 2023.[2](https://www.kannadaprabha.com/politics/2026/Aug/03/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-athani-mla-laxman-savadi-gets-cabinet-birth-laxmi-hebbalkar-left-disappointed) In the cabinet expansion of August 2026 under Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, he was inducted as a minister with the Co-operation portfolio excluding Agriculture Marketing.[1](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-laxman-savadi-seen-as-political-counterfoil-to-satish-jarkiholi-in-belagavi-district/article71300640.ece) • [2](https://www.kannadaprabha.com/politics/2026/Aug/03/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-athani-mla-laxman-savadi-gets-cabinet-birth-laxmi-hebbalkar-left-disappointed)\n\n## Electoral history\n\n- **1999**: Contested from Athani as an independent; lost to Shahajahan Dongargaon.[1](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-laxman-savadi-seen-as-political-counterfoil-to-satish-jarkiholi-in-belagavi-district/article71300640.ece)\n- **2004**: Elected from Athani as the BJP candidate, defeating Shahajahan Dongargaon.[1](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-laxman-savadi-seen-as-political-counterfoil-to-satish-jarkiholi-in-belagavi-district/article71300640.ece)\n- **2008**: Re-elected from Athani.[2](https://www.kannadaprabha.com/politics/2026/Aug/03/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-athani-mla-laxman-savadi-gets-cabinet-birth-laxmi-hebbalkar-left-disappointed)\n- **2023**: Elected from Athani as the Congress candidate.[1](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-laxman-savadi-seen-as-political-counterfoil-to-satish-jarkiholi-in-belagavi-district/article71300640.ece)\n\nHe has won three Assembly polls, in 2004, 2008, and 2023, and one Legislative Council election.[1](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-laxman-savadi-seen-as-political-counterfoil-to-satish-jarkiholi-in-belagavi-district/article71300640.ece)\n\n## Issues specific to Savadi\n\nSavadi has been involved in a long-running rivalry with the Jarkiholi family of Belagavi district. In the 2025 elections to the district central co-operative bank, [Satish Jarkiholi](https://www.edgepedia.org/satish-jarkiholi) and his brothers allied with the BJP leader Anna Saheb Jolle to defeat Savadi's panel of candidates; Savadi in turn allied with the BJP leader and former member of Parliament Ramesh Katti in that contest.[1](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-laxman-savadi-seen-as-political-counterfoil-to-satish-jarkiholi-in-belagavi-district/article71300640.ece) Ramesh Jarkiholi, a BJP member of the Legislative Assembly, has used unparliamentary language against Savadi at public rallies on more than one occasion.[1](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-laxman-savadi-seen-as-political-counterfoil-to-satish-jarkiholi-in-belagavi-district/article71300640.ece)\n\n## Positions and voting record\n\n### Co-operative sector\n\nSavadi has been active in the co-operative political arena of northern Karnataka for decades, participating in elections to the district central co-operative bank and co-operative sugar factories, and candidates from districts as far as Bidar and Ballari have sought him out during elections.[1](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-laxman-savadi-seen-as-political-counterfoil-to-satish-jarkiholi-in-belagavi-district/article71300640.ece) His panel of candidates won the elections to the Krishna Co-operative Sugar Factory.[1](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-laxman-savadi-seen-as-political-counterfoil-to-satish-jarkiholi-in-belagavi-district/article71300640.ece)\n\n### Response to claims of leaving the Congress\n\nAfter Ramesh Jarkiholi said that Savadi was trying to join the BJP, Savadi replied at a public statement, \"ಕೆಲಸ ಇಲ್ಲದವರು ಈ ರೀತಿಯ ಹೇಳಿಕೆ ನೀಡುತ್ತಾರೆ. ನಾನು ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಸೇರುತ್ತೇನೆ ಎಂದು ಹೇಳುವವರೇ ಕೆಲವೇ ದಿನಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಜೆಡಿಎಸ್ ಸೇರುವ ಚಿಂತನೆಯಲ್ಲಿದ್ದಾರೆ\" (our translation: People without work make such statements. Those who say I will join the BJP are themselves thinking of joining the [Janata Dal (Secular)](https://www.edgepedia.org/janata-dal-secular) within a few days). He added, \"ನಾನು ಪಕ್ಷ ಬಿಡುತ್ತೇನೆ ಎಂದು ಎಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ಹೇಳಿಲ್ಲ\" (our translation: I have nowhere said that I will leave the party), and said that internal differences in the Congress would soon be resolved.[3](https://belagavivoice.com/laxman_savadi-82/)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Karnataka Cabinet: Laxman Savadi seen as political counterfoil to Satish Jarkiholi - The Hindu](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-laxman-savadi-seen-as-political-counterfoil-to-satish-jarkiholi-in-belagavi-district/article71300640.ece)\n2. [Karnataka cabinet expansion: Athani MLA Laxman Savadi gets cabinet berth - Kannada Prabha](https://www.kannadaprabha.com/politics/2026/Aug/03/karnataka-cabinet-expansion-athani-mla-laxman-savadi-gets-cabinet-birth-laxmi-hebbalkar-left-disappointed)\n3. [Belagavivoice: Laxman Savadi's response to Ramesh Jarkiholi](https://belagavivoice.com/laxman_savadi-82/)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Politics and government › Government and public administration › Politicians and government officeholders (biographies) › South Indian politicians › Karnataka, Kerala, and Puducherry politicians › Chief ministers and ministers*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Sep 29, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/laxman-savadi", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/laxman-savadi.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Laxman Savadi\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/laxman-savadi. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Laxman Savadi](https://www.edgepedia.org/laxman-savadi)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/laxman-savadi](https://www.edgepedia.org/laxman-savadi). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Laxman Savadi\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/laxman-savadi. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Laxman Savadi is an Indian politician with the Indian National Congress who serves as Karnataka's Co-operation minister, represents Athani in the assembly, and earlier served as Deputy Chief Minister." }