Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, addressing an election rally in Gokak on Saturday, appealed to the “Veerashaiva-Lingayat voters” to support Ramesh Jarkiholi.
“It is due to his sustained efforts that I’m able to sit in my third floor office in the Vidhana Soudha and rule the State. Voters of all communities, including Veerashaiva-Lingayat community, should support him,” he said.
Union Minister of State for Railways Suresh Angadi said the BJP could not open its account in Gokak even after organising meetings and road shows. “We are making solid inroads in this region due to the entry of Ramesh Jarkiholi into the BJP,” he said.
Ramesh Jarkiholi said he rejected the Congress because of its culture of arrogance. “I am still in touch with many Congress MLAs. I can get all of them to join the BJP,” he said. “The Congress is full of people who value personal loyalty and not party loyalty. There is no place for leaders with party loyalty in the Congress,” he said.
Minister Shashikala Jolle, MLA Umesh Katti and others were present.
