Ramesh Jarkiholi, Eshwarappa back in Assembly hall after CM holds talks

BELAGAVI: Former minister G Janardhana Reddy, who had vowed not the enter the Vidhana Soudha unless he is reinstated as minister, was on Thursday surprisingly seen participating in the proceedings. Another former minister, K S Eshwarappa, who too had been making noises for his reinduction, was also present in the House.

Ramesh Jarkiholi having a word with former CM Jagadish Shettar.

The two leaders had been demanding that they should be reinducted into the cabinet after they got clean chits in the cases they were allegedly involved in. They had also planned to raise a political storm in Bengaluru while the winter session of the legislature is on at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi.

After Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai held a meeting with them on Wednesday evening, he has been able to buy peace with the two disgruntled leaders for now. While Ramesh Jarkiholi was back in the Assembly after one-and-half years, Eshwarappa was seen after seven months. Eshwarappa had a word with senior leader B S Yediyurappa and Jarkiholi spoke to BJP national general secretary C T Ravi and both occupied seats in the fourth row of the treasury benches.

K S Eshwarappa greets Minister Muniratna as Minister B C Nagesh (standing) looks on.

Jarkiholi resigned as minister on March 3, 2021 after an alleged CD scandal broke out. He had then vowed that he will return to the Assembly as a minister. He had skipped all the sessions held in the interim. Eshwarappa had to resign after his name cropped up in the case of suicide of a contractor.