Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Feb 1: "All the 11 legislators who registered victory in the bypoll should be accommodated in the ministry at the time of ministry expansion. We had sacrificed our seats and faced elections," said Ramesh Jarkiholi, who was one among the 17 MLAs who changed sides and toppled the 14-month-old coalition government in the state.

Jarkiholi, speaking to media persons, asserted that the legislators who are waiting to be made ministers are not unhappy because of the delay. "We do not care even if there is a delay of one more month. But all the MLAs should get ministerial berths," he stated. To a question, he clarified that they want even the defeated candidates to be absorbed in the ministry and that on this issue the party high command will take a final decision.

Ramesh refuted the notion that he has been insistent on being made deputy chief minister. "But if I get this post, I will not reject the offer. I am not opposed to the idea of giving multiple posts of deputy chief minister to Belagavi district. MLA Mahesh Kumathalli has sought two posts of deputy chief minister to Belagavi district. It is his personal opinion. They are identifying me as the leader of the legislators who fought the bypoll. But I am not a leader for them. Everyone who is with me are leaders in their own rights," he asserted.

When media persons wanted his reaction on the rumours that the 17 legislators who left the Congress and the JD(S) are not united now, he appeared visibly perturbed. Before leaving, he sarcastically said that he now has not 17, but 50 legislators with him.