BELAGAVI: Wading into the BJP-Congress war of words over defection of legislators, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee working president Satish Jarkiholi on Thursday said defection of MLAs from one party to another will pick up pace six months later when the Assembly election in the state draws closer.
“Many, including most of the 17 legislators who defected from the Congress, several ministers and legislators from other parties are in touch with the Congress,” he claimed. Defending the claims made by Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, Satish said BJP MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi’s statement that 16 Congress MLAs will switch over to the BJP is false. Ramesh and MLC Lakhan Jarkiholi are needlessly issuing such statements, he said.
“Already, the BJP is housefull with 120 seats in its kitty. Then, where will the party accommodate 16 more MLAs if they cross over from the Congress and JDS? Ramesh and Lakhan never speak on development of roads and other infrastructure facilities. The duo is involved in political trade and that’s all,’’ Jarkiholi said.
Hitting out at his brothers, Satish quipped, “Ramesh often plants bombs, some eventually explode, but some never make an impact.”
He reiterated that none of the legislators from the Congress will cross over to other parties anymore, but MLAs from BJP and JDS will join the Congress in the coming days. Some ministers also are also planning to jump ship to the Congress at a suitable time, he said.