Bengaluru: On a day when JD(S) MLA, K. Mahadev claimed that Gokak MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi had demanded Rs 80 crore from Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy to stay back in the Congress, Ramesh Jarkiholi's brother and forest minister, Satish Jarkiholi claimed that there were family related reasons behind his brother's decision to quit as MLA.
"If at all, Ramesh decides to quit the Congress, the blame should be put on his brothers-in-law," Mr Satish Jarkiholi said at a function organized at the forest department headquarters here on Wednesday.
The senior Jarkiholi did not explain exactly how the brothers-in-law were responsible for Ramesh Jarkiholi's political moves. However sources in the Belagavi Congress said that the elder brother of Ramesh Jarkiholi’s wife takes care of constituency work related to Gokak and attends official programmes which tantamounts to violation of protocol. "Many officers have complained about this but Ramesh Jarkiholi does not listen to them," sources said.
Sources said the Congress party and Satish Jarkiholi in particular, have decided to field his younger brother Lakhan Jarkiholi against Ramesh in Gokak in the bypoll, necessitated by his resignation. While talking to reporters in Belagavi, Satish dropped enough hints that even if Ramesh decides to remain in the Congress, the party will not give him the ticket for Gokak in future.
