A war of words broke out between Energy MinisterD.K. Shivakumar and ‘rebel’ Congress MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi on Wednesday over the latter’s move to quit the party and Assembly membership in a bid to join the BJP.

Mr. Shivakumar said the party had made him minister and also put him in-charge of Belagavi district. However, he had been removed from the ministry over certain issues. Mr. Jarkiholi had become MLA and Minister owing to the party’s strength, he said.

The Belagavi leader was not available to him for talks, he said and noted that other senior Congress leaders would appeal to him to remain in the party.

Mr. Jarkiholi, who arrived in Bengaluru on Wednesday, took a potshot at Mr. Shivakumar and said: “He is not up to my level. My leader is party president Rahul Gandhi. I will talk to Mr. Gandhi and take a decision at an appropriate time.”

A proxy war between Mr. Shivakumar and Mr. Jarkiholi began last year when the former allegedly interfered in the Belagavi district administration and backed MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar’s camp in the local cooperative society elections. Earlier, on being asked about claims that 20 MLAs of the Congress were in touch with the BJP, Mr. Shivakumar hit out at the BJP leaders and said: “Let them (BJP leaders) have 25 MLAs. Politics is different from family. We know how to deal with politics. We have not set any deadlines for them to form the government. Let them (BJP leaders) feel happy.”

Speaking to presspersons at his residence in Bengaluru, Mr. Jarkiholi lashed out at Mr. Shivakumar and said: “It’s true that I’m resigning from the party. There will not be any use in me resigning alone. A bulk of MLAs will resign with me. We are holding discussions.”

Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara downplayed Mr. Jarkiholi’s decision to resign and said he did not know why he planned to quit.