Hubballi: Congress leader Ramesh Jarkiholi, who has for long been unhappy with the party, gave it some anxious moments on Tuesday when he said he was only “technically” with it and would take a decision on quitting it and joining BJP after Lok Sabha elections.
The former minister, who was speaking to reporters after voting in Gokak, said he would soon take a decision on quitting the Congress. Taking a potshot at former CM Siddaramaiah without mentioning him, he said the “confusion” in the Congress was created by those who left the JD(S) to join it. “There was no infighting in the Congress before 1999. Squabbling began after S.M.Krishna inducted Janata Dal leaders into the Congress. Now the situation has gone out of control,” he maintained.
Appreciating state BJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa for rushing to Chikkodi and pacifying party leader Ramesh Katti after he was denied Lok Sabha ticket by the party, Mr Ramesh Jarkiholi regretted that Mr Siddaramaiah had failed to intervene in the infighting in the Belagavi Congress unit.
As for his brother, Satish’s reported attempts to groom his other brother Lakhan to take his place if he quit the Congress, he said he would be happy if Lakhan became an MLA as he had many other constituencies to contest from.
Meanwhile, responding to his brother’s statement on quitting the party, minister Satish Jarkiholi said, “It will be good if Ramesh quits and joins the BJP soon. The political history of Belagavi district shows his attitude. He has criticised all top leaders, including AICC president Rahul Gandhi.”
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