Jarkiholi withdraws resignation after CM assures new portfolio

January 31, 2015

Bengaluru, Jan 31: Excise Minister Satish Jarkiholi, who had created ripples in the Congress by putting in his papers, finally relented and decided to withdraw his resignation on Friday night after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assured him of a new portfolio.

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Jarkiholi took the decision after meeting Siddaramaiah at Public Works Minister H?C?Mahadevappa’s residence in Bengaluru. Jarkiholi will continue with Excise for now, and a new portfolio would be given to him after the legislature session scheduled to commence on February 2, party sources said.

“Siddaramaiah is our leader, he has convinced me to withdraw my resignation. I will work in the government and also work towards strengthening the party,” Jarkiholi told reporters after the meeting.

Interestingly, Jarkiholi did not make it to the chief minister’s residence for the meeting. Instead, Siddaramaiah made it to Mahadevappa’s house where Energy Minister D?K?Shivakumar, too, was present.

Jarkiholi had stayed put in his home district Belagavi for the last two days despite Siddaramaiah inviting him to Bengaluru for talks.

Jarkiholi had faxed his resignation letter to the chief minister on Tuesday requesting him to relieve him from ministerial responsibilities so that he could devote time to social service and party work. However, the real reason is Siddaramaiah’s son Rakesh’s interference in the Excise department, sources said.

Jarkiholi, a one-time close associate of Siddaramaiah, was also unhappy that the chief minister had been sidelining him.

A Congress delegation led by Belagavi Congress district president Lakshmi Hebbalkar, MLA Feroz Sait and others had held meetings with Siddaramaiah on Thursday and set the stage for Friday’s meeting.

Earlier in the day, speaking to reporters in Koppal, Siddaramaiah said Jarkiholi’s demand for a change of portfolio would be considered at the time of Cabinet reshuffle. The chief minister said Jarkiholi had not made any demand except the change of portfolio.

Jarkiholi withdraws

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March 27,2024

Bengaluru: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday launched simultaneous raids in multiple places, including Bengaluru and Shivamogga.

Reports suggested that the ongoing raids are in connection with the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram Cafe on March 1. The blast had injured at least ten people as per the police report.

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) had launched an investigation alongside the NIA, and the trail of the suspect led them to Tumakuru first and subsequently to Ballari. Investigators believe that the bomb was planted by Mussavir Hussain Shazib, a handler of the Islamic State’s Shivamogga module who was aided by another IS handler called Ahmed Taahaa.

Sources in the know said that Shazib and Taahaa had stayed in Chennai for about a month between January and February using fake credentials. The names of the suspects were identified after they traced the cap worn by Shazib to a shop in a mall in Chennai. The cap, which was abandoned by the bomber in Bengaluru after the blast, was reportedly bought by Taahaa, around January-end.

As per the NIA, Shazib hails from Masjid Road in Thirthahalli, Shivamogga district, and Taahaa from Fish Market Road, Soppu Gude, Thirthahalli Rural. Both "wanted" suspects have been termed "absconders" by the NIA.

The NIA has questioned seven jailed terror suspects so far in connection with the blast. The investigation agency had also obtained seven-day custody of a jailed terror suspect named Maaz Muneer Ahmed.

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March 19,2024

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Bengaluru, Mar 19: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said that the Congress will split in three months after the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and its impact will be visible on the Siddaramaiah-led state government.

"Due to internal squabbles, the state government will not last long," the BJP leader said.

Talking to reporters on Monday, he said the sitting MP from the Gadag-Haveri constituency, Shivakumar Udasi, has done a lot of development work and implemented the Central government's schemes effectively.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi will surely become the PM for the third time. The overall response has been good in the Gadag-Haveri Lok Sabha constituency," the former Karnataka chief minister said.

Asked if he was contesting the election in a half-hearted manner in the Gadag-Haveri seat, Bommai said "such a question does not arise when the party's high command gives instructions".

He said he would respect his opponent and not take anyone lightly. 

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March 27,2024

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Gokarna (Uttara Kannada): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said the Congress will decide about making him the Chief Minister in future, bringing to the fore again the issue of leadership change.

There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the Chief Minister's post after the Assembly election results in May last year, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy Chief Minister.

There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational Chief Minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.

During a temple visit here, a priest prayed that God's blessings may be showered on Shivakumar, and he became the Chief Minister.

Speaking to reporters here in Uttara Kannada district, Shivakumar, who has in the past made no secret of his ambition to become Chief Minister, amid speculations of change in guard mid-way of the Assembly term, responded to talk in some political circles about the leadership issue.

"What's wrong if a priest expresses his desire before God while praying? The priest has expressed his desire. Now Siddaramaiah is the Chief Minister, I'm working as Deputy Chief Minister under him, also as party's state President. People speak about it and desiring it (Shivakumar should become CM) is a different matter, it will be decided by our party," Shivakumar said.

"Now we are all working under the leadership of Siddaramaiah, and our desire is that the state should progress further under his leadership," he said.

"There will be people including supporters and priests, who pray for us, they will express their opinion. Can we stop them from doing it? At the temple it is between God and his disciple, they have expressed their feelings to God," Shivakumar added. 

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