BENGALURU:The first casualty from Congress’ side in the ongoing power tussle in Karnataka has come in the form of former minister Satish Jarkiholi’s resignation. The SC strongman from Yemkanmardi in Belgavi district has resigned from his All India Congress Committee Secretary post. Jarkiholi’s resignation comes after days of the state as well as the central leadership of the Congress attempting to pacify him. Satish, who was instrumental in Siddaramaiah’s victory in Badami was overlooked for a ministerial berth while his brother Ramesh Jarkiholi was inducted in the Congress-JD(S) coalition government.
Satish Jarkiholi identified himself with MB Patil’s camp of dissenting MLAs for attending a meeting a day after cabinet expansion. The 56-year-old Congressman made his intentions of resigning from the AICC post clear on soon after the cabinet expansion. Jarkiholi is said to have met KPCC Chief Dr G PArameshwara on Monday night after which he tendered his resignation. Satish confirmed this development to The New Indian Express through an SMS.
“I am capable of making other MLAs ministers. Yet, I was not included in the cabinet and it has hurt my pride,” he had said when dissent had begun to brew in the state Congress last week. Satish had sought time till June 11 to make his decision public. His resignation comes as a massive embarrassment to the Congress as well as Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy who has been attempting to downplay the dissent over the coalition government.