BJP MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi counters Cong's claims, says 16 of its legislators are in touch with him
Bengaluru, Jan 25: With the Congress leadership in Karnataka claiming that some legislators and leaders from the ruling BJP are in touch with them, a saffron party MLA on Tuesday claimed that at least 16 legislators from the grand old party are in contact with him and may jump ship, ahead of assembly polls, if the high command approves.
The claims and counter claims between the ruling and the principal opposition party in the state has gained momentum, even as the assembly polls in the state are more than a year away.
As Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah today reiterated his claims that few BJP and JD(S) leaders are in touch with him and he would not reveal their names, BJP MLA and former Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi hit back and claimed that at least 16 legislators from Congress are in contact with him.
"A total of 36 MLAs were in touch with me, from the coalition government days, out of that 17 of us came out (to join BJP), among the remaining 19, three are from JD(S), I'm not going to touch them because of my good bonding with H D Kumaraswamy (JDS leader)...rest of them, who could not come with us then due to technical reasons are still in touch with me," Jarkiholi said.
Speaking to reporters here, he questioned why Siddaramaiah, who had declared in the assembly that the Congress will not take back any of those who had quit the party then and called them betrayers, is now claiming that some of them are in contact with him.
"....I will not take the names of 16 people who are in touch with me, I will speak truth not for publicity, let's see if high command (BJP) agrees to induct them. I hope they will make good decisions. Congress is sinking across the country, in the days to come, they will not have people to seek tickets at some places...," he added.
Jarkiholi is credited for his key role in the collapse of the coalition government in 2019, as he is said to have led 17 Congress-JD(S) MLAs, who quit their parties and subsequently joined BJP.
However, countering his claims, Siddaramaiah said, Jarkiholi has been making such claims for many days now, and there was no need to give much importance to it. "According to me no one will go......BJP is now a sinking ship," he said.
Earlier today, Siddaramaiah had reiterated his claim that few BJP and JD(S) leaders are in touch with him and he would not reveal their names.
State Congress president D K Shivakumar too had made similar claims on Monday, as senior BJP legislator Basanagouda Patil Yatnal stated that some MLAs and Ministers, especially those who joined the saffron party from other parties, are in touch with the Congress leadership, and will jump ship, once the 2023 assembly poll schedule is announced.
However, reacting to these claims, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said, there is no question of anyone leaving the BJP.
"It shows the amount of insecurity the Congress is facing, there is a fight between two leaders (Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah) there, there is a series coming out every month claiming who is with whom in their own party, as a result of it, they are making such claims," he said.
"There is no question of anyone going from the BJP, they (few leaders who are now Ministers in BJP govt) have come here stating that they don't want Congress, so there is no question of going there.....I don't want to comment on certain political developments that are taking place, but you will see things, wait for few days, you will see how BJP will get strengthened politically," he added.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
