BELAGAVI:  Disappointed over his failure to bring 15 disgruntled Congress MLAs into the BJP camp, Gokak legislator Ramesh Jarkiholi vented his anger on media persons at his residence on Thursday. 
When a section of media approached him at his residence in Gokak, an angry Jarkiholi chided reporters, calling them “mad people” who should be kicked hard.

After he went ‘missing’ for a week, he arrived in Gokak on Wednesday morning but again left the place and resurfaced in the town on Thursday. Alighting from his black Innova car at his house, he lambasted reporters even before they posed questions to him.

“You all (reporters) have crossed the limits. You have gone mad and need to be kicked and kicked hard,’’ he fumed while rushing inside, without looking back at the assembled media.

Though Jarkiholi, along with his MLA brother Satish Jarkiholi, was supposed to meet Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) leaders in Bengaluru on Thursday, he headed back to Gokak. According to sources, he had asked his guards not to allow reporters at his residence. However, some of them entered the premises and tried to shoot questions at him when reached home.

Zilla Panchayat member Prashant Kagal, a close friend of Ramesh, told a section of media in Gokak on Thursday that Jarkiholi will announce his decision (on whether he would quit as MLA) after four days in Gokak. 

A statement issued by the youngest of Jarkiholi brothers, Lakhan, a few days ago that Congress’ top state leadership, including Siddaramaiah, G Parameshwara and Dinesh Gundurao, should talk to Ramesh directly had indicated that the latter’s attempt to defect to BJP along with the disgruntled group did not materialise. 

In wake of it, sources said, the Jarkiholi brothers are keen to fit Ramesh back into the Congress fold to avoid the embarrassment. Satish is expected to meet top Congress leaders in Bengaluru to rally behind Ramesh, sources added. The BJP leadership is said to be divided on whether to welcome the disgruntled Congress legislators headed by Ramesh into the party, as the issue of IT raids on the latter’s properties prior to the recent assembly polls was made as an election issue by the saffron outfit.