Janata Dal (Secular) president H.D. Deve Gowda has alleged that the former Minister Satish L. Jarkiholi had given vehicles to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his wife and son.
Speaking at a press conference here on Friday, he said that Mr. Jarkiholi extended all possible support to Mr. Siddaramaiah when he was in the JD(S), including financial help. Of late, the relationship between them had strained.
Mr. Gowda admitted that Mr. Jarkiholi had met him along with the former Minister V. Srinivas Prasad and discussed the fallout of the recent Cabinet reshuffle. There was nothing more to infer from the incident, he said, adding that he did not invite Mr. Jarkiholi to join the JD(S). Mr. Prasad had also expressed his wish against joining any other party.
On allegations of certain JD(S) leaders that he had not given a free hand to party State president H.D. Kumaraswamy to take decisions on organisational matters, he shot back asking, “Am I aspiring for the city Minister’s post?”
The former Minister Basavaraj Horatti, who recently won the elections to the Legislative Council for the seventh consecutive time, had declined to serve as Chairman of the Upper House. The party would felicitate him in Hubballi on June 30, Mr. Gowda said.
When his attention was drawn towards the Mahadayi row, Mr. Gowda said that Karnataka wanted water but the Centre itself stood helpless. The matter was before the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal now.
