Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (MS)

Bengaluru, Jan 24: 'Resort politics' seems to be making a comeback in Karnataka. As per sources, water resources minister Ramesh Jarkiholi and newly-inducted minor irrigation minister C P Yogeshwar are camping at a resort in Chikkamagaluru, sparking speculation in the state political circle.

Their resort stay comes at a time when the B S Yediyurappa-led Karnataka government is embroiled in a crisis of sorts, with dissent brewing among BJP MLAs and ministers with respect to the allotment of portfolios in the recent cabinet expansion.

It is being heard that health minister Dr Sudhakar, M T B Nagaraj, BMTC president Nandish Reddy and four to five other MLAs were with the two ministers.

Mudigere MLA M P Kumaraswamy and Sringeri MLA T D Rajegowda, who came to know about the presence of Ramesh and Yogeshwar in the resort, also met the two ministers. It is said that both Ramesh and Yogeshwar left the resort as soon as they came to know that the media became aware of their presence and that they were conducting 'secret' meetings with rebels.

Ramesh Jarkiholi has stayed in Chikkamagaluru on official work, it is said. Sources close to him have said that local MLAs had visited the minister to discuss the issues related to their constituencies.

Ramesh Jarkiholi has however claimed that they did not hold any secret meeting. Mudigere MLA M P Kumaraswamy also said that he did not hold any political discussion with Jarkiholi.

"We visited Yettinahole project area in Sakleshpur taluk on Friday. We talked about speeding up the project and ensuring water supply by June," said Jarkiholi, as quoted by the New Indian Express.

"The next morning we held a meeting with officials of the department,” he said. When asked about top officials of the district claiming no knowledge of the visit, he said only his department officials were informed of it. “You can wait for the officials to come out of the resort and verify my claim," Jarkiholi further said.

Asked why an official meeting was held at a private resort, he said that the resort belongs to former chief minister S M Krishna's son-in-law who was his close friend, and that he has visited the resort several times.