Congress rebel Ramesh Jarkiholi resigned and joined BJP. His candidature with the Bharatiya Janata Party was much talked of as he had already hinted of signs of quitting the grand old party earlier.
Congress rebel and MLA from Gokak, Ramesh Jarkiholi, quit Congress party where he worked for many years. Jarkiholi had made it clear that he would quit Congress on Tuesday itself.
“I am officially in the Congress now. But I don’t know when I will quit,” he had told the press on Tuesday after which a statement came from him regarding his joining in the Bharatiya Janata Party.
“I will contest from Yemkanmardi seat in next Assembly elections on a BJP ticket,” Ramesh Jarkiholi said on Wednesday. His current opponent in Yemkanmardi is Satish Jarkiholi, his own brother and Forest Minister.
He had also said, “My relationship with all Congress leaders, especially Siddaramaiah, was good until Satish instigated me to revolt against the party,” he said. Hence his candidature in Yemkanmardi can be seen as a candidature against his brother.
Lending out support to another brother, Lakhan, he said, “I am happy to support Lakhan if he decides to contest from Gokak. I am a responsible person and I have been in politics for many years. When Umesh Katti was refused the ticket from Chikkodi by the BJP, BS Yeddyurappa had met Umesh Katti and sorted out the issue within a matter of hours. Congress has not approached me at all,” said Jarkiholi.