Jarkiholi Says Yathindra Spoke on AHINDA Leadership, Not CM Role
Yathindra has expressed his personal opinion, Everyone is free to share their views, He spoke about AHINDA leadership, not about the Chief Minister’s post
Belagavi: Amid growing talk of a possible change of guard in Karnataka and speculation over who could succeed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Minister Sathish Jarkiholi on Friday clarified that Dr. Yathindra Siddaramaiah’s recent remarks referred only to leadership of the AHINDA movement, not to the Chief Minister’s post.
Jarkiholi, however, reiterated that he would be among the contenders for the Chief Minister’s post after the 2028 Assembly elections, while maintaining that the final decision would rest with the Congress leadership and its legislators.
Jarkiholi’s clarification came a day after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s son, Dr. Yathindra Siddaramaiah, during a function in Belagavi district on Thursday, stated that his father, now in the final phase of his political career, is looking for a progressive and value-based leader to guide the party in the future. He had stated that public works minister Satish Jarkiholi fits that vision. The remarks sparked political speculation within Congress circles about succession in the State.
“I have already said that I will also make a claim for the Chief Minister’s post in 2028. The final decision will be taken by the party. Let us see how things evolve—there are still about 30 months to go,” Jarkiholi told reporters.
He added, “Yathindra has expressed his personal opinion. Everyone is free to share their views. He spoke about AHINDA leadership, not about the Chief Minister’s post.”
Pointing to the evolution of Backward Class, SC-ST leadership in the state, Jarkiholi said, “We saw Bangarappa and Kharge ji succeed Devaraj Urs, and later Siddaramaiah emerged as the AHINDA leader. There should be somebody to lead the movement and Yathindra spoke about this and not about the Chief Minister post.”
With his growing influence among AHINDA communities and his strong base in North Karnataka, Jarkiholi has once again found himself at the centre of political discussions within the Congress.
When asked about reports of a possible change in the KPCC presidency, currently held by Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Jarkiholi said he was unaware of any such development.
