Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi said on Friday in Mysuru that he would not oppose Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar continuing as head of the Karnataka government if the Congress regains power in the 2028 Assembly elections. Jarkiholi, who had previously expressed a desire to become chief minister in 2028, added that he would wait his turn and that Shivakumar’s efforts to bring the party back to power were commendable.
When asked about his own ambition, Jarkiholi said age worked in his favour and he had no urgency to take the post. He also denied that his relationship with former chief minister Siddaramaiah had soured, describing their ties as good and noting that they had only met when necessary. He said the former chief minister remained the “captain” of their political team and that his close aides had not deserted him. Jarkiholi also clarified that his absence from a recent convention in Bengaluru was because it was a convention of backward communities rather than an AHINDA gathering, rejecting suggestions of intra‑party differences.
Jarkiholi addressed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) searches at his premises, stating he would appear before the agency and answer its questions once notified. He said he would not discuss the matter with the media and would provide explanations regarding alleged commissions from central government projects and overseas investments. He alleged the searches were politically motivated, noting that no similar operations had been carried out against BJP leaders or their alliance partners in the country over the past 14 years. He denied that the searches had affected him psychologically and said he would confront the issue politically.
