The sex tape controversy surrounding Ramesh Jarkiholi, who resigned as Karnataka Water Resources Minister, has posed a huge political dilemma for Chief Minister Yediyurappa. With the kind of damning allegations made in the CD — from promising a job in exchange for sex to calling Yediyurappa 'most corrupt' — it should not have been a tough decision for the CM to sack the minister in question. But the political repercussions this may have will weigh heavily on the CM, already beleaguered with several rebellions in the party.
In his resignation letter on Wednesday, Jarkiholi called the allegations false and sought an investigation into the alleged sex tape. While TNM cannot independently verify the authenticity of the tape, in the conversation that was leaked, Jarkiholi allegedly made several remarks that were seemingly incriminating. Being from Belagavi, a sensitive border area, often strife with issues between Karnataka and Maharashtra, Ramesh Jarkiholi has purportedly abused Kannadigas while praising Marathis in the region, posing a problem that could snowball in the future. He has also allegedly called Yediyurappa corrupt and said that Union Minister Prahalad Joshi is expected to replace him. All this, while praising Siddaramaiah.
But despite this, it was not easy for the CM to get Ramesh Jarkiholi to resign. The opposition has been pointing to the episode from 2016 when then CM Siddaramaiah had asked then Excise Minister HY Meti to resign just hours after a ‘sex tape’ became public. But Jarkiholi’s first reaction on Tuesday was one of defiance. Between then and his resignation letter on Wednesday, where Jarkiholi said that he is tendering his resignation on ‘moral grounds’, sources in CMO told TNM that Yediyurappa had to do a lot of nudging.
The Chief Minister, according to sources, sought the help of Ramesh’s younger brother Balakrishna Jarkiholi who has been in BJP since 2013 to persuade him to step down. But the political battle is far from over for Yediyurappa.
Ramesh Jarkiholi is relatively a new entry to the BJP. He joined in 2019 but his clout will be underestimated only at one's peril. A former close aide of Siddaramaiah, Jarkiholi led the rebellion within the Congress, carefully consolidating legislators who were willing to jump ship and strike a deal with the BJP for their accomodation. Many even believe that his tussle with the current Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President DK Shivakumar was the tipping point in bringing down the coalition government.
The powerful Jarkiholi family loyalty has been split between Congress and BJP for a while now and with Ramesh's exit, only Satish has remained with the Congress now. But their cumulative influence on Belagavi and the Mumbai-Karnataka region has not weakened.
When Laxman Savadi, Jarkiholi's rival from Belagavi was made a Deputy CM despite not winning his Assembly seat, Ramesh Jarkiholi is said to have expressed disappointment and thrown a challenge to Savadi that he will show the clout Jarkiholis yield in Belagavi.
Once in BJP, Ramesh Jarkiholi did not stop flexing his political muscle. On at least three occasions, he made trips to Delhi to meet the party high command to lobby for ministerial berths, superseding Yediyurappa. He demanded the berths not just for himself, but for others whom he brought along with him from Congress. From lobbying for ministerial berths to demanding portfolios, Jarkiholi was the man that many old-time BJP leaders too went to, displaying his influence in the party.
Jarkiholi sided with Umesh Katti, the senior-most legislator of the BJP who had been upset with Yediyurappa. Both the leaders were reportedly upset at Laxman Savadi, their colleague and rival from Belagavi being made the Deputy CM and decided to work together for their mutual benefit and to reduce Savadi’s influence in Belagavi.
In January 2021, he held a meeting with ministers CP Yogeshwar, K Gopalaiah, and a few other legislators. This late night meeting that was held in a resort once again triggered speculation that a rebellion was brewing.
In February, Katti and Jarkiholi had defended Yediyurappa’s harshest critic, BJP legislator Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, who has been publicly attacking the CM. And when he was accused of anti-party activities for the same, Katti and Jarkiholi said that there was nothing wrong with anything Yatnal had said and added that his behaviour cannot be called indiscipline.
Just a few days ago, Jarkiholi, in a public gathering in Belagavi admitted to speaking to Siddaramaih ‘twice everyday’ and that he continues to think of the former CM as his leader. This, while boasting that he still has friends in the Congress and with just a day’s notice can bring more leaders to BJP.
Given that Jarkiholi, be it in Congress or in BJP, has continued to wield his influence and fan rebellion, his resignation may give Yediyurappa a breather for the moment, but this will hardly be the end of political trouble coming from this Jarkiholi brother.