Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (DC)
Bengaluru, Jun 3: Congress senior leader S R Patil on Sunday resigned as KPCC working president of north Karnataka over poor performance of the party in the assembly polls.
Patil has sent his resignation letter to Congress president Rahul Gandhi taking moral responsibility for the party's poor performance in north Karnataka in the recently concluded Karnataka assembly elections.
Patil had sent his resignation on May 25 itself but the matter came to light only now, amid reports of several Congress leaders showing displeasure over not being considered for ministerial posts.
"I was in-charge of the party's performance in north Karnataka. Had my party won more seats from there, we would have formed the government independently. I resigned taking moral responsibility for our losses. I sent my resignation via email to party president," a leading newspaper quoted him saying.
He clarified that he was not demanding ay post in the party. "I am not lobbying for any post. 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," Patil said.
The Congress high command has not yet responded to his letter.
Patil being the working president of the KPCC for north Karnataka played a crucial role in ensuring chief minister Siddaramaiah's win in Badami constituency.
Patil a strong Lingayat leader is a law graduate and has served as leader of the opposition in the Legislative Council during previous BJP government.
Meanwhile, the BJP took a dig at S R Patil's resignation, terming it to be the beginning of the JD(S)-Congress coalition government's collapse.
"The downfall of the empire that was built after mocking people’s mandate has begun. @INCKarnataka senior leader Sri. S R Patil resigns. This is only the beginning of the downfall of power hungry government (sic)," the BJP tweeted.