Rebel Cong MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi submits resignation

Rebel Congress legislator Ramesh Jarkiholi, who has been disgruntled for a long time now, tendered his resignation on Monday, the second in a row after fellow party MLA Anand Singh also announced his decision to resign.

In a handwritten letter addressed to Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar, Jarkiholi said he was tendering his resignation as the Gokak legislator. Ramesh had, a couple of months back, announced that his resignation was certain.

Ramesh, a Valmiki leader who wields significant clout in Belagavi district, was dropped from the Cabinet last year. But his disgruntlement predates his axing as a minister. He was sulking over the way the Congress leadership handled his turf war with Belgaum Rural MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar and Water Resources Minister D K Shivakumar.

Ramesh is widely believed to have been helping the BJP topple the Congress-JD(S) coalition. In February this year, the Congress moved a petition before Speaker Kumar seeking the disqualification of Ramesh for ‘anti-party activities’ under the anti-defection law.