Ramesh Jarkiholi

Ramesh Jarkiholi is an Indian Politician and a member of the Indian National Congress from the state of Karnataka. Jarkiholi is a four-term member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. In June 2016 Jarkiholi was inducted into the Siddaramaiah led government of Karnataka as a cabinet minister. Jarkiholi holds the Small Scale Industries Ministry portfolio in the Government of Karnataka which was earlier held by his brother Satish Jarkiholi who is a current member of the Karnataka Legislative Council.

Jarkiholi is from the Indian National Congress and represents Gokak Assembly Constituency of Belgaum, Karnataka. The constituency has been ruled by the Jarkiholi family for over 15 years. Three members of the Jarkiholi family, Ramesh Jarkiholi, Balachandra Jarkoholi and Satish Jarkiholi contest from Gokak, Arabhavi and Yamakanamaradi Assembly constituencies respectively from different Politicial parties. Ramesh Jarkiholi brother Satish Jarkiholi is a current member of the Karnataka Legislative Council representing the Yemkanamardi constituency in Belgaum District. Ramesh Jarkiholi was first elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly in 1999 by beating Naik Chandrashekhar Sadashiva of the Janata Dal (United) by over 55,000 votes. In the 2004 elections he won the seat against Muttennavar Mallappa Laxman of the Bharatiya Janata Party by over 15,000 votes. In the 2008 Karnataka Legislative Assembly elections he beat the Janata Dal candidate Ashok Ningayya Pujari by over 7,000 votes. Jarkiholi is a sitting member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly as he retained his Gokak Assembly by beating Ashok Ningayya Pujari of the Janata Dal (Secular) by over 28,000 votes.

Besides holding the Small Scale Industries Ministry portfolio Jarkiholi is also the Belgaum District Guardian Minister in-charge of the District.As the Guardian Minister in-charge of the District Jarkiholi took up causes of poor patients and instructed health department officials to initiate action against private hospitals who fail to display their charges as per the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Act for their hospital services.