Vijayapura: Former Minister and BJP MLA Ramesh Jarakiholi has declared that he will not contest election from Gokak Constituency in the coming Assembly election if the BJP did not offer a ticket to the party MLA Mahesh Kumathalli from Athani.
“I am making it amply clear here. The party will have to offer a ticket to Mahesh who is my friend. I will not contest from Gokak if the Party denies him a ticket. That is it,” he announced.
Addressing mediapersons on Friday March 10, before participating in the Vijay Sankalpa Yatra of the Party, he displayed his friendship with Kumathalli.
Asked whether he is upset with the Party for not being reinducting into the Cabinet after being removed from the Ministry, Jarakiholi said that he quit the Congress where he was Minister.
“I have joined the BJP not for the Ministry but by admiring the ideology. I was Minister in the Congress when I quit the party and joined the BJP,” he said.
It may be noted that Ramesh Jarakiholi had to quit the Ministry after a sleazy video of him went viral which put the BJP in a tricky and embarrassing situation.
On the reports of Sports Minister K. C. Narayana Gowda contemplating quitting the BJP and joining the Congress, Jarakiholi said that he has heard about it only in the media.
“I do not know anything about it. However I will ask him not to join the Congress which is sinking ship. Do not commit that mistake,” he said.
Answering a question, he said that he will try to ensure the victory of more than 13 MLAs from Belagavi District this time.
