Former minister and Yamakanamaradi MLA Satish Jarkiholi said he gives prime importance to self-respect and should have quit the Congress party before former minister V Srinivas Prasad did.

“I have communicated my feelings to party leaders in Bengaluru and New Delhi to control activities and statements of Small Scale Industries and District In-charge Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi or else I would have to take my own course,” he said.

Addressing Congress workers at Aldal village in Hukkeri taluk on Tuesday, Satish Jarkiholi said Srinivas Prasad quit the party as his self-respect has been hurt. “The atmosphere in the party due to the activities of minister Ramesh Jarkiholi has created a similar situation for me.

If the party leadership does not control the activities of Ramesh Jarkiholi and his younger brother Lakhan, I too will be forced to take my course. A deadline of June 1 has been given to the party leadership to solve the issue,” he said.

“As the MLA of Yamakanamaradi, I have been successful in steering development in the constituency. I will not change my constituency,” he claimed.