Ramesh Jarkiholi, Minister for Water Resources in Karnataka, has been caught in controversies as a video CD, which allegedly features him and an unidentified woman, and the conversations between the two, is doing rounds on the television channels. A complaint has been registered against Jarkiholi for allegedly abusing the woman and seeking sexual favours from her in return for a government job, media reports say. 

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Who is Ramesh Jarkiholi?

The 60-year-old water resources minister, Jarkiholi is a BJP MLA from the Gokak constituency and is believed to be a powerful minister from the Belgaum region of north Karnataka in the BS Yediyurappa-led BJP government. 

Earlier in Congress, Jarkiholi played a key role in 2019 in rebelling 17 Congress and JDS MLAs to the Bharatiya Janata Party that led to the collapse of the Congress-JDS coalition government, after which BJP came to power in the state in July, 2019. According to reports, the reason behind the toppling of the Congress-JDS government is believed to be a bitter personal feud of Jarkiholi with Congress state President DK Shivakumar over control of the Belgaum region.

Since the rebellion of 17 MLAs and the formation of the BJP government in Karnataka, Jarkiholi has been a central rallying point for new MLAs to the ruling party and other rebel members. 

The 60-year-old has also campaigned actively in the state seeking an increase in quota for his ST Valmiki Nayak community in Karnataka.

Jarkiholi and his three other brothers, from different parties, have been active in Karnataka politics from the Belgaum region.