Operation Lotus failed: Rebel Congress MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi returns to Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Feb 13: Rebel Congress MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi arrived in Bengaluru on Tuesday after remaining incommunicado for the past few days.

A habeas corpus petition was filed alleging that Athani MLA, Mahesh Kumathalli, was missing and possibly in illegal detention. Gokak MLA and Belagavi strongman, Ramesh Jarkiholi, accused of illegally confining Kumathalli.

Following this, the high court has issued notices to the State government and Jarkiholi. The petition was filed by advocate Pramod Hiremani, is the Youth Congress president in Athani.

Narayana Gowda, JD(S) MLA, the first to reach the Bengaluru airport, said " BJP can't and never purchase me. If I want I can bring 10 BJP MLAs. I was admitted in hospital after food poisoning, I have the hospital bills. There will be some internal issues inside the party and we'll clear it as usual."

Last week, 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.

On four dissenting Congress MLAs, Minister DK Shivakumar, said, "I have already said that they have been elected in the Congress party and living in the Congress party since two decades, I think some good sense has prevailed. We have a report that everyone is back, Let us see their actions."

Meanwhile, Congress has issued a whip to all 80 MLAs to attend the Assembly session. Party warned of strict action if MLAs who fail to be present.