Bengaluru: The Congress govt faced embarrassment during the special legislative session on drought when three-time party MLA Yashvanthraygoud V Patil submitted his resignation on Wednesday, protesting exclusion of Indi and Chadachan taluks in Vijayapura district from the drought-hit list.
The latest drama came a day after senior Congress legislator and former minister HK Patil threatened to resign if Gadag taluk was not declared drought-hit by Oct 10. This was Patil’s second resignation attempt this year. In Aug, he had quit the assembly after being denied a Cabinet berth but withdrew his resignation following persuasion by Congress functionaries. The govt has since included Gadag in the drought-hit list of taluks.
In a letter to the CM, he said farmers had borrowed money to buy seeds and fertilisers but suffered losses after crops withered due to monsoon failure. Because of impractical parameters set by the Centre we cannot declare all taluks drought-hit, deputy CM and revenue minister G Parameshwara said, “It is.
Chief minister DK Shivakumar said Patil’s action was driven by concern for farmers. Otherwise, the Centre will not provide relief to such regions,” he said. Sunil Kumar of BJP said, “There was no such embarrassment during Siddaramaiah’s tenure.
The resignation triggered a sharp exchange between the treasury and opposition benches. “I’ve spoken to Patil. Drought declaration has to follow certain guidelines. If you (referring to BJP members) convince your top leaders and get rules relaxed, we can immediately declare them drought-hit. The exchange widened into a political dig at the govt’s handling of finances. The only person enjoying the situation now is Siddaramaiah. Health minister UT Khader objected to the opposition raising the issue, asking its leaders not to interfere in Congress’s internal matters.