Dared by Yatnal, minister offers to resign with a rider; but Karnataka Speaker rejects move

Bengaluru: Assembly Speaker U T Khader rejected the resignation of Sugar Minister Shivanand Patil on Friday, hours after the Basavana Bagewadi MLA stepped down to accept Bijapur City MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal’s challenge for a face-off. 

On April 30, Yatnal launched an expletive-filled tirade against Patil. Yatnal dared the minister to quit and fight against him as an independent candidate. 

Yatnal was miffed that Patil participated in a protest rally on April 28 at Vijayapura against him for allegedly making remarks about Prophet Mohammed. At the rally, Patil said he was ready to come to Vijayapura to defeat Yatnal, which prompted the expelled BJP leader to throw the challenge. 

“I have accepted (Yatnal’s) challenge and have decided to contest against him in the election. Hence, I’m resigning as MLA from Basavana Bagevadi, which I’m representing,” Patil stated in his resignation letter.

“Hence, I request you (Speaker) to accept my resignation only after Yatnal, resigns as MLA and his resignation is accepted,” he added.

Earlier, the minister said Yatnal had attacked him personally by claiming that his family name was changed from Hachadad to Patil. “He also keeps saying that I need to prove that I’m born to my own father. This needs to end. Politically, either he should live or me,” he said. 

On Friday evening, Khader rejected Patil’s conditional resignation. 

Yatnal mocked Patil for the “drama” of resignation.

“He resigned knowing that it would be rejected. It’s laughable that a senior minister enacted such a political drama. If he has the guts, let
him resign properly and brace for a real fight,” he said in a tweet.