Former Minister Satish Jarkiholi said on Thursday that Congress leaders have been asking the high command to create four posts of KPCC working president to “help strengthen the party”.
“This does not mean that I want to be one of the working presidents. I have only said that I can handle any responsibility given to me,” he told journalists in Belagavi. “There are some leaders in the Congress who are saying there is no need for additional working presidents. It is natural for differences of opinion to exist in a political party. We should work through such differences and arrive at a decision.”
He said the BJP government in the State could face problems of dissent in case of a Cabinet expansion. “The government came to power thanks to defectors, who were promised they would be made Ministers. The Cabinet expansion has been delayed already. The Chief Minister should not delay it any further. If he expands his Cabinet, there will be effective governance,” he said. However, Mr. Jarkiholi added, if Mr. Yediyurappa attempts a Cabinet expansion, he is sure to leave out some MLAs and leaders, and that could affect the government.
Asked about his elder brother Ramesh Jarkiholi, who defected from the Congress to BJP and who is believed to be upset over the delay in being made a Minister, he said he did not want to give his brother free publicity by speaking about him.
