Karnataka Minister Satish Jarkiholi has revealed his ambitions to claim the position of Chief Minister in 2028, emphasizing that he does not foresee such an opportunity in the current tenure of the Congress-led state government. These statements from Jarkiholi come in the wake of the Congress party imposing a gag order on its members.
Jarkiholi expressed his intentions, stating, “I don’t anticipate becoming Chief Minister during this term. My aim is to stake my claim in 2028. As for other leaders, the choice of the year is theirs to make. My focus is on 2028.”
The imposition of the gag order by the Congress party includes restricting key figures such as Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar from making public statements related to the party’s functioning, government affairs, or potential leadership changes for a period of two and a half years. This decision was made following a breakfast meeting convened by Siddaramaiah at his residence on Sunday.
Notably, Satish Jarkiholi was absent from the breakfast meeting, citing illness as the reason for his non-attendance. On Monday, the Minister, who hails from the Valmiki (ST) community and serves as the Working President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, acknowledged the growing demand from various communities, including Dalits, to see one of their own as the Chief Minister of Karnataka. However, he emphasized that the ultimate decision on this matter rests with the Congress high command, making it clear that the party’s decision will be conclusive in determining the state’s leadership.
