No clue why Patil quit KPCC post: state Cong chief

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president and Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara on Monday sought to downplay S R Patil’s resignation as KPCC working president, saying that he was not aware why the Lingayat leader quit the post.

“I know he has resigned. But, I have no clue why he took the decision,” the State Congress president told reporters on seeking his reaction on the issue. Patil had said he has resigned owning moral responsibility for his party’s poor show in north Karnataka in the recently held Assembly polls.

Patil, who is a prominent Linagayat leader in the Congress, was actually miffed with the state leaders, especially Parameshwara, for sidelining him. He was kept away from all important meetings the party leaders held with the JD(S) during the formation of the coalition government. Besides, Parameshwara’s announcement that young leaders will be given priority while expanding the council of ministers, has not gone down well with the 69-year-old Patil.

On seeking to know whether Patil was upset with the
party, Parameshwara said: “There was some protest by the local party men in front of his (Patil’s) residence sometime ago in Bagalkot. May be he was upset with it...I will talk to him and try to ascertain the exact reason and pacify him.”

Parameshwara said there is no discontentment in the party on the expansion of the council of ministers scheduled to be held on Wednesday. The coalition government will run smoothly, he added.

Senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar, who is also upset with the party for the same reason, batted in favour of Patil, saying that the party cannot afford to neglect the Lingayat community. “Patil is a senior leader. Like Vokkaligas in the south, Lingayats are in large number in the north...I am sure
party will take care of the community,” stated Shivakumar, a prominent Vokkaliga leader.