Karnataka BJP president Vijayendra meets minister Satish Jarkiholi, both leaders claim meeting has no political significance

Jarkiholi, the Congress minister, too, maintained that the meeting with BJP leaders from the Shikaripura constituency was to address their issues. “Meeting (Opposition legislators) is a routine process,” he said, adding that there was no connection between the debate over changing the chief minister and the meeting.

Rumours about a change in leadership in the state have been circulating since the Lokayukta and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed FIRs against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case. Responding to media queries, Jarkiholi said he had “repeatedly said that Siddaramaiah would remain the chief minister”.

To a question on his closed-door meetings with Congress ministers, he said such meetings were held even before the MUDA row. Not much significance was attached to those meetings then, the minister said.

Jarkiholi also met with All India Congress Committee president Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi recently, fueling speculations on a change of guard in Karnataka. To a question on the meeting, Jarkiholi said his meeting with Kharge was to invite him to the Karnataka Bhavan inauguration, scheduled for November 10.