Karnataka Minister M.B. Patil alleges Nitin Gadkari responsible for ethanol blending crisis

Karnataka Industries Minister M.B. Patil on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, leveled serious allegations against Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari. Minister Patil stated that permission was granted for ethanol blending in petrol beyond the prescribed limits, and Nitin Gadkari is primarily responsible for the crisis that has now emerged.

Speaking with media persons in Bengaluru, Minister M.B. Patil demanded a comprehensive investigation into the entire matter. He accused the Central Government of being unwilling to accept the truth when it is spoken regarding ethanol blending. He questioned why there should be doubt regarding the test results when petrol samples were sent to the Central Government's own laboratories for testing.

Minister Patil further stated that he had asked sugar industry leaders such as Murugesh Nirani and Prabhakar Kore about this matter. He pointed out that ethanol stocks in sugar factories have exceeded their storage capacity. According to him, this problem is not limited to Karnataka alone, but Maharashtra is also facing a similar situation. The situation is relatively better only in Uttar Pradesh.

M.B. Patil alleged that the Central Government encouraged the excessive production of ethanol but failed to ensure its adequate procurement. He suggested that this scheme should have been introduced as a pilot project in four or five districts initially, so that its advantages and disadvantages could be properly evaluated. However, Nitin Gadkari abruptly introduced the ethanol-blending system, resulting in the current crisis.

According to a report by The Hindu, lab tests of E20 petrol in Karnataka have shown ethanol blending as high as 31%, which is significantly higher than the prescribed limit.