Irrigation Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi has dismissed as rumours reports that the BJP was trying to destabilise the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress coalition government in Maharashtra.
“These rumours spread after I met former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in New Delhi recently. I had only gone to meet him to thank him. He contributed greatly to our party gaining power and in me becoming a Minister. I had been wanting to meet him since I became a Minister. But I could not travel due to the COVID-19 lockdown. When I got a chance after the lockdown ended, I met him,” he said.
The Minister said that he was in favour of A. Vishwanath and M.T.B. Nagaraj joining the State Cabinet. “I wish that they become Ministers soon. The Chief Minister and the party high command will soon decided on the expansion.”
He said there was no plan for a change of the Chief Minister in Karnataka. “That is all created by the media. The high command will take a final decision on such matters. We are all ordinary workers.”
He had met the Union Water Resources Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, seeking approval for the Kalasa and Banduri Nala project. “After that I want to meet the Chief Minister and discuss the issue in detail. But I have not been able to spend much time in Bengaluru. I went there two days ago, only to rush back to Gokak, for a family ritual.”
Mr. Jarkiholi said the Irrigation Department would take up the modernisation of left and right bank canals in all projects. “We will ensure the tailenders get water.”
He said that he would react to the alleged statement made by senior party member Umesh Katti that the Chief Minister had restricted himself to Shivamogga, only after studying the statement in detail.