Rebel Cong leader Ramesh Jarkhiholi meets S M Krishna, BSY, sparks speculation
Bengaluru, May 26: Amid perceived threat to the coalition government in Karnataka after its rout in the Lok Sabha polls, rebel Congress MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi along with Chikkaballapura Congress MLA K Sudhakar Sunday visited senior BJP leader S M Krishna's home here in the presence of party state Chief B S Yeddyurappa.
Though the leaders termed the timing as "coincidence", Jarkiholi, in response to a question on whether he would quit Congress, said he would have to discuss it with his "team".
Jarkiholi has been hobnobbing with the BJP for some time and had threatened to resign from the party along with some MLAs after the Lok Sabha polls, which would lead to a numbers game in the assembly.
Speaking to reporters, Jarkiholi called Krishna his "leader" and said he paid a visit to inquire about his health and was not aware that Yeddyurappa was also visiting him.
In response to a question about his resignation, Jarkiholi said "will give (resignation)...will not give it through media, will (discuss with) well wishers and give...
I won't say (when)...I may even give after one year (he said, upset over repeated questioning).
"...we are a team, I'm not alone. Will have to inform everyone and do it (resign) together,"he said, as he clarified that his visit had nothing to do with politics.
He evaded a direct reply to a question on the number of MLAs he claimed were with him and shot back "Will you (media) inform and go for a sting operation? To a question if that meant he was involved in any secret operation, he said "...I'm giving an example, don't confuse.
“I won't say anything else."
Interestingly, Jarkiholis visit to Krishna's residence along with Chikkaballapura Congress MLA K Sudhakar raised eyebrows within Congress circles, with doubts now emerging about him being part of a "rebel team".
Sudhakar told reporters here that Krishna was his political guru and father figure and it was a courtesy visit he used to pay once a month.
He said he told Jarkiholi, who had come to his residence that he would be visiting Krishna and asked him whether he would like to join, to which he agreed.
"When we were there, Yedyurappa came... we were not aware of his visit. It it was unexpected for us, he said.
Sudhakar has been expressing his displeasure against the coalition and party leadership for some time now, after not being inducted into the ministry and being denied Chairmanship to any board and corporation.
BJP has predicted the collapse of the coalition and increase in its tally in the assembly after the LS poll results, claiming that 20 odd Congress MLAs are unhappy with the government and may take any decision anytime, as coalition partners Congress and JD(S) each won one seat in the LS polls.
BJP made a clean sweep, winning 25 of the total of 28 seats.
Also, Sumalatha Ambareesh, an independent candidate supported by the saffron party, was victorious in Mandya against Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamys son Nikhil.
Meanwhile, Yeddyurappa said he had come to thank Krishna for the effort he had put in by campaigning for party candidates in Karnataka and ensuring their victory.
"...there is no strategy going on, they (Jarkiholi and Sudhakar) are well wishers of S M Krishna and had come to meet him," he said in response to a question about any strategy as Jarkiholi was also visiting Krishna at the same time.
"It (visit) was a coincidence...there is no special reasons to it, Yeddyurappa said, as he clarified that he had held no discussions with Jarkiholi and Sudhakar.
Asked about Jarkiholi joining BJP, he said, there is no such proposal, I dont know anything about it. Individually what he decides is left to him.
We did not discuss anything about it.We only sat together and had coffee at Krishnas residence and greeted each other."
BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka, who had accompanied Yeddyurappa to Krishnas residence said he too had not held any discussions with Congress MLAs.
Asked about his photo with Jarkiholi and Sudhakar appearing in the media, he said "...media have captured only one side there were people sitting on the other side, so it was not meeting between just us...
Our visit was just a coincidence. There was no politics involved."
Shaken by the rout of the ruling Congress-JDS combine in the Lok Sabha polls and possible threat to the government by disgruntled legislators, the Karnataka cabinet on Friday had reposed its "faith and confidence" in the leadership of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, who had offered to resign, and asserted that the coalition would continue.
There are reports in the local media that about six to eight Congress MLAs were in touch with Jarkiholi and may soon shift their base to Goa.
The Karnataka assembly has 224 members, in which BJP has 105 MLAs, Congress-78, JD(S)-37, BSP (1), independent (1) (both currently supporting the ruling alliance), KPJP (1) and Speaker.
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Snowfall blocks two key roads providing alternative connectivity to Kashmir
Rajouri/Jammu (PTI): Traffic on the Mughal and Sinthan Top roads, which provide alternate connectivity to Kashmir, was temporarily suspended on Sunday due to light to moderate snowfall in the high-altitude areas of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
However, traffic on the 270-kilometre Jammu-Srinagar national highway -- the only all weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country -- was plying as usual despite intermittent rains that ended the over one-and-a-half months long dry spell, they said.
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The Mughal road, which connects the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri with south Kashmir's Shopian, was closed for traffic as a precautionary measure after more than three inches of snow was recorded at Peer Ki Gali on Sunday afternoon.
A group of three tea vendors are left stranded on the road and efforts are on to evacuate them to safety, officials said.
After they were trapped in the snow, the vendors made passionate appeals through video messages urging the authorities to rescue them. The Border Roads Organisation has taken up snow clearance work and is trying to reach the stranded persons, officials said.
The Sinthan Top road, which connects Kishtwar and Doda districts in Jammu with south Kashmir's Anantnag, was also closed after moderate snowfall in the higher reaches.
Both the mountainous roads usually remain closed for several months due to heavy snowfall during winter.
