BELAGAVI: Even as Excise Minister Satish Jarkiholi categorically denied that he will visit Bengaluru on Friday, Ashok Pattan, government chief whip in the Assembly, expressed confidence that the former would withdraw his resignation.
Pattan told Express on Thursday that Jarkiholi could not meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as he had a marriage to attend in Gokak.
“Jarkiholi and Siddaramaiah are close friends. There might be some misunderstanding due to a communication gap,” he said.
He said he too aspired to become a minister, and that Belagavi is a big district from where at least two legislators should be made ministers.
Pattan said he may become a minister on the Lingayat quota and not as a replacement for Jarkiholi.
Meanwhile, Jarkiholi was in Gokak on Thursday to attend the wedding of Belagavi District Congress Sevadal president Kalpana Doshi’s son.
According to sources, Pattan joined Jarkiholi at the marriage hall and discussed the recent political developments. Later, Jarkiholi left for the house of his close associate Riyaz Chougula.
Meanwhile, Jarkiholi clarified that he was not harsh on Kempaiah, advisor to the home minister,
when the latter met him on Wednesday. When Express asked whether he received any news from the delegation (consisting of Belagavi MLA Feroz Sait, Gokak MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi, MLC V e e r k u m a r P a t i l and DCC president Laxmi Hebbalkar) which met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru on Thursday, Jarkiholi said he was not the one who sent the delegation to meet the CM.
“They have gone on their own,” he said.