Who Is Satish Jarkiholi: The Rising Political Figure Positioned As Siddaramaiah's Potential Successor in Karnataka

Bengaluru:

Satish Jarkiholi has emerged as a new contender for Karnataka's leadership position, known for his unwavering loyalty to the party. As a steadfast supporter of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, he has consistently positioned himself against the Chief Minister's long-time political opponent, DK Shivakumar.

Currently serving as the Minister of Public Works Department, Jarkiholi represents Yemakanmardi constituency in the state assembly.

A prominent Scheduled Caste leader from the Valmiki community, Jarkiholi is considered an integral member of the Ahinda coalition - a political alliance comprising minorities, backward classes, and Dalits working toward social justice. This coalition is spearheaded by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah among others.

The Ahinda concept was initially developed by former backward class leader Devraj Urs and has been significantly strengthened under Siddaramaiah's leadership.

The 63-year-old Jarkiholi belongs to a politically influential family from northern Karnataka near Belagavi. He has two brothers - Ramesh and Balachandra.

His brother Ramesh Jarkiholi was previously affiliated with Congress and held considerable local influence. However, following BJP's rise in 2018, he departed from Congress alongside numerous MLAs to join BJP, subsequently becoming a minister. Currently, he serves as a BJP MLA.

Satish Jarkiholi's daughter, Priyanka Jarkiholi, represents Congress as an MP from Chikkodi.

Recently, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's son Yathindra created significant political upheaval in Karnataka by suggesting that his father is approaching the final stages of his political journey and should transition to a 'margdarshak' (mentor) role for Satish Jarkiholi.

While Siddaramaiah has been actively refuting rumors about stepping down to make way for Shivakumar, Yathindra's statement today is widely interpreted as a clear message to the Deputy Chief Minister that his ascension to leadership is not imminent.