Senior Congress leader SR Patil on Sunday resigned as the party’s working president in North Karnataka over its “unsatisfactory performance” in the recent Assembly elections in the region, PTI reported. The party leadership in New Delhi has not yet responded to Patil’s resignation.
“I was in-charge of the party’s performance in North Karnataka,” the senior Congress leader told The New Indian Express. “Had my party won more seats from there, we would have formed the government independently. I resigned taking up moral responsibility for our losses. I sent my resignation via e-mail to party President.”
The Congress won just eight seats in Belagavi district, two in Bagalkot, three in Vijayapura, two in Dharwad and one in Gadag. The region, dominated by the Lingayat community, was electorally significant.
Though Patil reportedly resigned on May 25, it has come come to light a day after the Congress and the Janata Dal (United) reached a consensus on portfolios that would be allotted to each party.
Patil was instrumental in getting former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to contest from Badami along with Chamundeshwari in Mysuru district. Siddaramaiah lost from Chamundeshwari but won the election in Badami by a slender margin. There were reports of Siddaramaiah pushing for Patil’s appointment as the Karnataka Congress chief. Current state Congress President G Parameshwara has been appointed the deputy chief minister.
Patil, however, refuted these reports. “I am not lobbying for any post,” he said. “If the party gives me responsibilities I will take it up but I will not leave the Congress for any reason. I will be happy to work for the party even without a post.”
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