Patil, the elected representative of Indi taluk in Vijayapura district, said farmers in his area were suffering crop losses and water shortages, and that his resignation was a protest against the government’s failure to meet constituents’ expectations amid the drought.
The resignation marks Patil’s second such move this year; he previously stepped down in August after being denied a cabinet berth but withdrew the resignation after persuasion from Congress leaders.
During the Assembly’s drought debate, BJP opposition leader R. Ashok demanded that the speaker announce whether Patil’s resignation had been accepted, accusing the D.K. Shivakumar‑led government of delaying a decision and embarrassing the administration. BJP members shouted “shame, shame” in the chamber.
In his resignation letter, Patil explained that farmers had borrowed money to sow crops after brief rains, only to face losses when the rains failed, and that he had appealed on August 28 to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara to declare Indi drought‑hit. Of the 13 taluks in Vijayapura, 11 have been declared drought‑hit; Indi and neighboring Chadchan remain excluded, while the state has declared 188 taluks drought‑hit overall.
Deputy Chief Minister Parameshwara blamed the BJP‑led Union government for restricting Karnataka’s ability to declare additional taluks, saying ten letters had been sent to the Centre seeking relaxation of the drought manual. Shivakumar countered that the government does not discriminate on political lines and that drought declarations follow set parameters, noting that many MLAs are requesting similar status for their constituencies.
Shivakumar described Patil’s resignation as an emotional response, stating that he had pacified the MLA. The speaker concluded that the resignation did not comply with procedural rules and therefore rejected it.
The episode underscores rising political tension over drought management in Karnataka, with opposition parties pressing the government for quicker relief measures while the state navigates coordination challenges with the central government.