Ramesh Jarkiholi asked to explain over BJP dinner

A day after Municipal Administration Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi was seen hobnobbing with the BJP leaders at a dinner, Congress legislature party leader Siddaramaiah summoned him to seek his explanation.

It is learnt that Jarkiholi visited Siddaramaiah at the Circuit House in Belagavi on Thursday.

Sources said that Siddaramaiah tried to convince Ramesh Jarkiholi not to take hasty decisions like defecting to the BJP.

Jarkiholi is learnt to have defended himself by saying that he had merely accepted his friend, Mahantesh Kavatagimath’s invitation for dinner and that his visit should not be misconstrued.

Jarkiholi had gone to the BJP leader’s dinner, by giving his ministerial colleague D K Shivakumar’s dinner invite a skip. This has created a flutter in political circles.

Sources also said that Women and Child Development Minister too met Siddaramaiah and clarified why she broke bread with the BJP
leaders.

Following rumours that Jayamala might be dropped from the Cabinet, it is said that she met Siddaramaiah to appeal to him not to drop her.