Karnataka excise minister Jarkiholi resigns, says still loyal to CM Siddaramaiah

BENGALURU: Even as chief minister Siddaramaiah was seeking divine blessings of Lord Venkateshwara in Tirupathi on Tuesday, his close confidante and excise minister Satish L Jarkiholi, resigned from the cabinet.
Not waiting for the CM's return to Bengaluru, Jarkiholi faxed his resignation letter giving reasons that he required time to devote to social service and party work.'' This has sent ripples in the ruling Congress where a simmering discontent against Siddaramaiah is already brewing.Jarkiholi was not happy with the excise portfolio from the first day and had made it public several times saying he wanted to be in charge of sports, youth affairs and scheduled tribes welfare.
A close associate of Siddaramaiah since the JD(S) days, Jarkiholi hails from from the Valmiki community (Scheduled tribe). "I have faxed my resignation letter to the CM this morning. I have clearly stated in the letter that I have no differences with him (CM) or any other minister in the council of ministry. I am unable to find enough time for social service and party affairs, this is the only and main reason I have resigned from the ministry," Jarkiholi told TOI.
Going by the equations Siddaramaiah shares with Jarkiholi, the former may not accept the resignation. "I am still loyal to Siddaramaiah and will forever remain loyal to him," Jarkiholi said when asked was he unhappy with the CM.
However, sources close to Jarkiholi said he was upset with the CM not recognizing the work he was doing for the Valmiki community, uniting the SC/STs in the state, which have moved away from the Congress.
Jarkiholi along with HC Mahadevappa resigned from the ministry and walked away with Siddaramaiah when the latter quit JD(S) in 2006. For his loyalty, Siddaramaiah after becoming CM in 2013, gave the much coveted excise portfolio and made him Belagavi district incharge minister.
A person of few words but silently nurtures ambitions and shot into limelight by hosting Ahinda functions for Siddaramaiah before the latter joined the Congress.
When the excise portfolio was given to him, opposition criticized that there was conflict of interest as Jarkiholi owned a distillery unit in Gokak in Belagavi district.
Presently, sports and youth services portfolio is held by Abhay Chandra Jain and there is no portfolio called tribal welfare. The development of tribes has been included under the social welfare ministry.
His liking for the sports is displayed every year through organizing all India level body building competition in Belagavi and winners given away huge price money.
A teetotaler, Jarkiholi made news recently by spending a night in burial ground to send a message to people not to believe in superstitions.
Jarkiholi's recent statement that sugar factories were not charitable institutions and they cannot give farmers the money they demand was not possible did not go well with the government and also opposition parties. His statement came when government had announced Rs 2,600 support price for sugarcane farmers. Opposition parties demanded immediate resignation from him citing he had conflict of interest.
More over his intentions of getting social welfare portfolio may not materialize as incumbent H Anjaneya, hailing from Scheduled Caste, is credited with doing fairly good job as a minister.
He has floated the Valmiki Sena, after he sensed threat from BJP's B Sriramulu, who hails from his community. The Sena was extended to forming the Buddha Basava Ambedkar forum which again was a show of strength.