“We may have formed the government in Karnataka by getting a comfortable majority of 136 seats. But the threat of the BJP poaching our MLAs and trying to dislodge the government remains,” Satish Jarkiholi, KPCC working president and Minister for Public Works, said in Belagavi on Monday. “That is why, we are trying to strengthen our pack by inducting Opposition party legislators who want to join the Congress,” he told journalists.
“Despite having a comfortable majority of 136, we are not free of the threat of the BJP engineering defections and trying to bring down our government. We are trying to avert any such development in future. We need a bigger strength of MLAs to avoid poaching by the BJP,” he said.
“We need to take care of our health. A person suffering from hypertension has to keep taking tablets even if his blood pressure levels are 140 or 180,” he said.
He clarified however, that Congress had not invited any Opposition party leader or legislator to defect and join the Congress. “However, if any one wants to join, we can not say no,” Mr. Jarkiholi said.
However, some leaders dismissed this claim as unfounded. “Reports of Ramesh Jarkiholi, former Minister going back to the Congress are false and baseless,’‘ said his younger brother and Independent MLC Lakhan Jarkiholi.
Govind Karjol, former Minster told journalists in Mudhol that no BJP legislator or leader would cross over to the Congress under any condition. “Does anyone jump during the day into a dried-up well, that was visible clearly at night? People have seen what kind of a dried up well the Congress is. Who will join that party,” he questioned.
