Please read backdrop/backdrop-issues#4186 (comment) to see that replacing Drupal 7's variable_del() function in .install files is not sufficient. Either config_clear() should be used in the .module file to declare variables and then the variable_del() function in .install should be dropped, or the following function:
/**
* Implements hook_uninstall().
*/
function $mymodule_uninstall() {
config('mymodule.settings')->delete();
}
should be used instead to get the uninstalled module's configuration file actually deleted.