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.
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.
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