Satish Jarkiholi meets Venugopal

Satish Jarkiholi, Congress MLA from Belagavi district in Karnataka, who had threatened to raise the banner of revolt, met Congress Karnataka in-charge and General Secrerary K C Venugopal, here on Thursday.

What exactly transpired at the meeting is not known. But party sources said that both leaders discussed the demand for greater representation for scheduled tribes (ST) in the JD-Congress coalition government in Karnataka. Satish and his brother Municipalities Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, belong to the Valmiki/Naika caste which carries a ST tag.

Satish is the brother of Ramesh Jarkiholi, Municipal Administration Minister, who had threatened to quit the Congress, if his demands for Deputy Chief Minister's post, was not fulfilled.

Prior to the meeting with Venugopal, Satish told reporters that though state politics was a talking point, discussion will be mainly related to Lok Sabha polls. He denied rumours that he was there to discuss his brother's demand for the DyCM position.

"We had some grivences earlier; now it is all settled. We will take a decision after consulting the party high command," the MLA said.

He denied newsreports that two dozen Congress MLAs would quit the party and join BJP.