In a surprise move, veteran Karnataka politician B R Patil has resigned as political advisor to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, bringing to the fore once again the churning in the state Congress and the internal power dynamics. The resignation by Patil, considered a staunch Siddaramaiah loyalist, comes at a time when a power struggle is brewing in the Congress, played out over dinner meetings held by pro-Siddaramaiah leaders last month. At the heart of the tussle is a supposed power-sharing pact — the formula of rotational chief ministership — the existence of which Siddaramaiah has repeatedly denied. Sources in the Karnataka Congress, however, said Patil’s resignation was not linked to the Siddaramaiah-D K Shivakumar tussle. The four-time MLA from Aland in Kalaburagi district was rather said to have been upset about the lack of importance given to him by the CM. Patil is from the Kalaburagi region where Shivakumar has little sway. It is the stronghold of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Patil is said to be not on good terms with Kharge’s son and state minister Priyank Kharge. “I will talk to him. The resignation letter came from Bengaluru, I did not read it. I will call him up,” Siddaramaiah told reporters in Mysuru on Saturday. Priyank holds considerable influence in Kalaburagi and Patil had been feeling sidelined despite his proximity to the CM, sources said. Patil was tipped to get a ministerial berth when the party came to power in 2023 but the slots went to Priyank and another MLA from the district, Sharan Prakash Patil. Siddaramaiah later appointed him as his political advisor to placate him. Sources said he was unhappy about his limited role in governance. Siddaramaiah also rarely involved him in political confabulations and he failed to secure developmental projects in his constituency because of lack of funds. Patil’s resignation, sources said, reflects the muddled state of Karnataka Congress politics. Sources said Patil sent his resignation on Friday citing some “problems”. Party leaders said he also did not agree with some of the government’s policy decisions. Patil sat on a dharna in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue on the Karnataka Assembly premises last month to demand the implementation of a law guaranteeing minimum support price for farmers. Patil told reporters in Kalaburagi on Sunday that though he had decided to resign earlier, he delayed his decision as he awaited the passage of the Karnataka Legislature (Prevention of Disqualification) Act. The law aims to protect advisors to the CM and the Deputy CM from being disqualified as MLAs. “I was relieved after the Governor gave assent to the Bill. I am free to resign,” Patil said, adding that he would not withdraw his resignation. The MLA said he was "resigning due to some problems" that he had written in detail in the letter to the CM. On his previous complaints about development works, Patil said he had raised the issue during a Congress Legislature Party meeting. “Yet, nothing happened. That is why I have resigned,” he added. In July 2023, weeks after the Congress government was formed, Patil wrote to Siddaramaiah, complaining about the unfair treatment of MLAs by some ministers. The letter triggered a row and exposed the disgruntlement of senior legislators who did not make it to the Council of Ministers. To pacify the seniors, three of them — Patil, Basavaraj Rayareddy, and R S Deshpande — were appointed to key posts with Cabinet ranking. Rayareddy was made economic advisor, while Deshpande was appointed chairperson of the Administrative Reforms Commission. — With ENS Bengaluru inputs
