Shivanand Patil, a minister in the Karnataka government, submitted his resignation to the Assembly Speaker UT Khadar on Friday as an MLA from Baswana Bagwadi assembly constituency.
He said that he is resigning as an MLA after accepting the challenge of Basangauda Patil Yatanal, MLA from Vijayapura city.
Yatanal challenged Patil to contest against him.
Patil, who is handling the Textiles, Sugarcane Development and Agriculture Marketing Department,, however, requested the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly to accept his resignation only when Yatanal’s resignation is also accepted.
Patil said in his resignation that Yatanal had challenged him to resign from the post of MLA from Vijayapura City Assembly constituency and contest against him from Baswana Bagwadi area.
Patil said, “I accepted his (Yatanal’s) challenge and has decided to fight against him in the election.”
He said, “Therefore, I am resigning from the post of MLA from Baswana Bagewadi, which I am representing.”
Patil said, “Therefore, I request you (from the Speaker) to accept my resignation only when Basangoda Patil Yatanal resigns from his MLA post and his resignation is accepted.”
Yatanal won the 2023 assembly elections as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Vijaypura city area.
The BJP recently expelled Yatanal for six years from the party’s primary membership for repeated discipline violation of discipline.
Chairman Khadar said that Patil’s resignation will be investigated and a decision will be taken as per the constitution and rules.
Khadar said, “He (Patil) resigned saying that it was a question of his self -respect, because he was challenged. Let’s see what happens.”