Congress MLAs Ramesh Jarkiholi and Mahesh Kumathalli are expected to join the party within the next few days, as they are left without a choice. The state Congress leadership may have submitted a petition to the Speaker of the legislative assembly, demanding disqualification of four Congress dissident MLAs, including Jarkiholi and Kumathalli, but sources rule out this possibility.
Sources close to Jarkiholi and Kumathalli confirmed that both of them are still in Mumbai, and incommunicado. “They are left with no other alternative with the BJP turning its back on them,’’ sources added. A team of Congress leaders, including AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, communicated with Jarkiholi a few days ago, asking him to return to the party.
Sources said the party was also willing to accommodate him into the cabinet in an attempt to tide over the political crisis. However, Jarkiholi has not responded to Venugopal.