BELAGAVI: The rivalry between KPCC president DK Shivakumar and former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi is set to escalate further as the latter has declared that he would like to have an “open war” bet
ween the two sides soon after the results of the MLC elections from local bodies’ constituencies in the state are out on December 14.
When quizzed about Shivakumar calling him a blackmailer, Ramesh said, “I will give hard-hitting answers to each of his allegations with the results of the MLC election in my hands on December 14. I will hold an hour-long press conference on that day to discuss about Shivakumar and his family. I will describe in detail the issues related to my family and Shivakumar’s family starting from 1985. Let there be a war between both sides.”
The Gokak MLA was speaking to the media soon after his arrival from New Delhi, where he said he met the BJP top brass. Ramesh said he had the blessings of the top BJP leadership and that it had come to his rescue whenever he was in trouble.
“It is only due to the blessings of the BJP high command that I am alive today. I would have been finished (politically) by now if I did not have the blessings and support of the BJP high command and the Sangh Parivar,” he claimed. He did not react to any of the allegations which Shivakumar made against him in Belagavi on Tuesday and said that the State Congress should first protect its MLAs in Karnataka.