Major and Medium Irrigation Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi has clarified that he did not mean to threaten or destabilise the B.S. Yediyurappa government when he said he would resign if it was proved that he had betrayed Mahesh Kumathalli, MLA.
Mr. Jarkiholi had told presspersons on Saturday that he would resign if Mr. Kumathalli said that he had betrayed him or that he had suffered injustice at his hands.
“Mr. Kumathalli has not been neglected. He will get a responsible position in the government soon. Rumours that I had betrayed him, by forcing him to resign so that I would become Minister, are false. If he tells me that I betrayed him, I will resign from the ministry,” he had said.
‘Wrongly quoted’
Issuing a clarification in Gokak on Sunday, he said some TV channels and newspapers had wrongly quoted him. I only said that I would resign if Mr. Kumathalli feels that I had betrayed him, Mr. Jarkiholi said.
The Minister distributed laptops to 490 students of first grade colleges in Gokak, as part of a government scheme. He said he would ensure that all the pending irrigation projects in Belagavi district were completed on time.
