Karnataka Congress working president SR Patil resigns, takes moral responsibility for party's poor show

Bengaluru: Karnataka North Congress Working President SR Patil has tendered his resignation over the party’s “unsatisfactory performance” in the recent assembly elections in North Karnataka. “I have sent my resignation to Shri Rahul Gandhiji through an email some days back after taking up moral responsibility for the party’s unsatisfactory performance in assembly elections,” Patil told reporters in Bengaluru on Sunday. “Had my party won more seats from North Karnataka, we would have formed the government on our own,” he said. The party high command is yet to respond to Patil’s resignation. The development comes in the wake of suggestions floated by Congress leaders that those who served as ministers for two terms in the previous governments be deputed for party work. [caption id=“attachment_4493759” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Congress leader SR Patil[/caption] The Congress had managed to wrest a few seats from BJP, but lost many in North Karnataka, an electorally significant region dominated by Lingayat community. The Congress won just 8 seats in Belagavi, 2 in Bagalkot, 3 in Vijayapura, 1 in Gadag and 2 in Dharwad, districts. On media reports that former Chief Minister Siddarmaiah was lobbying to make him the KPCC President after Parameshwara was appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister, Patil said he would be happy to accept any role the party gives. “I will not leave Congress for any reason,” he said. Meanwhile, the BJP called the development as the “beginning of the downfall” of “power-hungry” JDS-Congress government. “The downfall of the empire that was built after mocking people’s mandate has begun. @INCKarnataka senior leader Sri SR Patil resigns. This is only the beginning of the downfall of power hungry government,” BJP Karnataka said on its twitter handle. JDS and Congress had stitched up a post-poll alliance at the state level after the recent assembly polls yielded a fractured mandate with BJP emerging as the single largest party with 104 members, falling short of the required numbers. Kumaraswamy was sworn in as chief minister on 23 May. Two days later on 25 May, he proved the majority on the floor of the assembly. The BJP had conceded the numbers game with BS Yeddyurappa resigning on 19 May without facing the trust vote.