Hubballi: Forest minister, Satish Jarkiholi admitted on Saturday that the "coalition dharma" had not been followed in some constituencies during the Lok Sabha poll, but maintained that the elections were a closed chapter and the results would not have any impact on the state government.
“No (coalition) leader has the intention of forming a new government or facing a fresh election. But there are issues which need to be resolved between the coalition partners,” he acknowledged, speaking to reporters in Belagavi.
As for Mandya Congress leaders attending a dinner with Ms Sumalatha Ambareesh, wife of the late actor/politician, M H Ambareesh, contesting from the constituency as an independent, he contended action could not be taken against them merely on those grounds.
“Action cannot be taken against Congress leader, Cheluvarayaswamy and others just because they attended a dinner with a rival candidate. Action can be taken only if it is proved that they had indulged in dissident activity,” he said.
While asserting that the coalition government would complete its full term in the state, he said the BJP would not stir any trouble for it if it did not do well in the Lok Sabha poll. But it could try to destabilise it if the results went in its favour, in his view.
Denying any rift with minister D.K. Shiva kumar, Mr Jarkiholi said he had never opposed the party's decision to make him in-charge of the Kundagol Assembly byelection. "It is the party's decision to put Shivakumar in-charge of Kundagol considering his seniority. He was in-charge of the elections in Ballari and Kundlupeth too. We have no differences on this,” he asserted.
