Congress-JD(S) govt will face ‘stability’ threat after LS elections: Satish Jarkiholi

Hubballi: Municipal administration minister Satish Jarkiholi claims that Operation Lotus of the Bharatiya Janata Party to allegedly poach MLAs of the ruling coalition, will be back to haunt the Congress soon after the parliamentary elections.

Addressing the media in Belagavi on Sunday, Mr Satish Jarkiholi expressed concern that his brother and Congress MLA from Gokak Ramesh Jarkiholi may take the lead in wooing Congress legislators to join the BJP. He hinted that the Janata Dal (Secular)-Congress coalition government in the state will face a threat to its stability after the polls and claimed that Ramesh is already campaigning in favour of Belagavi BJP candidate and sitting MP Suresh Angadi and has also directed his supporters to support the saffron party.

“I came to know that Ramesh is backing the BJP in the parliamentary elections. He has already held a meeting with his loyalists in Gokak and directed them to support the Bharatiya Janata Party. We have lodged a complaint with the Speaker against him through Congress legislative party leader Siddaramaiah. He has virtually deserted the Congress and taking any disciplinary action against him will not make any difference,” Satish Jarkiholi said.

Stating that confusion prevails among party workers in Gokak, he expressed confidence that there would be many Congress leaders in the Assembly constituency who still back the party. Meanwhile, the minister has handed over the responsibility of party affairs in Gokak taluk to his younger brother Lakhan Jarkiholi. He also hinted that Lakhan would be the next Congress candidate for Gokak Assembly seat if Ramesh deserted the party.

At a function, the minister inducted hundreds of Bharatiya Janata Party workers into the Congress at the party office to pose a tough challenge to MP Suresh Angadi.