BENGALURU: Public works minister Satish Jarkiholi created a flutter on Monday when he attempted to take 20 Congress MLAs to Mysuru. The trip was cancelled at the last minute after the party high command intervened, sources said.
Some 20 MLAs mainly from Kittur and central Karnataka region arrived at Jarkiholi’s residence in the morning and they were set to board a bus which was booked to take them to Mysuru.
Sensing trouble, AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala reportedly spoke to Jarkiholi and asked him to cancel the trip. “Going in a group will send the wrong message and will give the opposition a reason to attack the government,” Surjewala is said to have told Jarkiholi. Jarkiholi later told reporters “likeminded MLAs” had wanted to go on a trip and he thought of taking them to Mysuru. “Some of our MLAs from Mysuru also invited us. There was no political angle to it,” he said.
Asked if the trip was meant to be a show of strength, Jarkiholi dismissed it saying: “I have been given a prominent portfolio, so why will I be unhappy?” he asked. He said he would plan another trip soon. “I will also take permission from chief minister Siddaramaiah and party president DK Shivakumar,” he said.
However, sources say Jarkiholi was unhappy over reports regarding selection of candidates for the Belagavi and Chikkodi Lok Sabha seats and he wanted to send a message to the party high command through the trip. He is mulling fielding his son or daughter from Belagavi Lok Sabha seat.
Some 20 MLAs mainly from Kittur and central Karnataka region arrived at Jarkiholi’s residence in the morning and they were set to board a bus which was booked to take them to Mysuru.
Sensing trouble, AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala reportedly spoke to Jarkiholi and asked him to cancel the trip. “Going in a group will send the wrong message and will give the opposition a reason to attack the government,” Surjewala is said to have told Jarkiholi. Jarkiholi later told reporters “likeminded MLAs” had wanted to go on a trip and he thought of taking them to Mysuru. “Some of our MLAs from Mysuru also invited us. There was no political angle to it,” he said.
Asked if the trip was meant to be a show of strength, Jarkiholi dismissed it saying: “I have been given a prominent portfolio, so why will I be unhappy?” he asked. He said he would plan another trip soon. “I will also take permission from chief minister Siddaramaiah and party president DK Shivakumar,” he said.
However, sources say Jarkiholi was unhappy over reports regarding selection of candidates for the Belagavi and Chikkodi Lok Sabha seats and he wanted to send a message to the party high command through the trip. He is mulling fielding his son or daughter from Belagavi Lok Sabha seat.