Dacoits can be ministers, why not us?: Jarkiholi

"Dacoits can become the ministers, why not disqualified MLAs,” Ramesh Jarkiholi, a disqualified MLA, has said.

Jarkiholi, along with other disqualified MLAs, met BJP national general secretary B L Santosh to get assurance from the BJP ticket for bypoll, in the national capital on Wednesday. “The Supreme Court judgement is a slap on the face of Congress leaders,” he said.

When asked whether all disqualified MLAs were aspiring for the ministership in the Yeddiyurappa government, he said, “When dacoits can become ministers why not disqualified MLAs?”

Despite the BJP leaders claiming that all 17 disqualified MLAs joining the saffron party, R Shankar, another disqualified MLA, was skeptical on this issue.

“I have not decided whether to join the BJP or not,” he told reporters.

The apex court order upholding the Speaker’s decision of disqualifying all 17 MLAs was virtually a shock for Shankar as he had been arguing that he was wrongly disqualified by the Speaker since he had not been elected on Congress ticket.