Karnataka Minister Rajanna, Who Said Voters’ List Irregularities Occurred Under Congress' Rule, Sacked

Bengaluru: Karnataka Cooperative Minister and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's close aide K N Rajanna was removed from the cabinet on Monday, the first day of the monsoon session of the state legislature. He was removed following an instruction from the Congress high command.

It is understood that Rajanna refused to obey the high command’s instruction, which forced Siddaramaiah to recommend his removal from the cabinet to Karnataka Governor Thavaar Chand Gehlot, who in turn accepted the recommendation.

While there is no clarity on what exactly led to the development, Congress insiders claim Rajanna's statement on the party's leader, Rahul Gandhi's campaign against the voters' list fraud, triggered his exit.

Reacting to Rahul Gandhi's revelations about the addition of over one lakh fake voters in Mahadevapura assembly constituency, Rajanna had said that when the voters' list was prepared, the Congress Government was in power, and it sat quiet. "Irregularities in voters' lists occurred under our party's rule, but our leaders sat quietly with their eyes closed instead of raising objections," Rajanna had said.

His statement not only embarrassed the Congress but also gave a reason for the opposition parties to take a dig at Rahul. Taking objection to the statement, the President of the Congress Bengaluru Central District Unit had written a letter to All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Randeep Surjewala, who is in charge of Karnataka, demanding disciplinary action against Rajanna.

Rajanna, a controversy’s pet child

A first time minister in his political career spanning five decades, Rajanna is not new to controversies or speaking his mind not only against his political opponents but against his own party and men. The latest example was when he spoke against Randeep Surjewala and another AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal for holding one-on-one meetings with Karnataka Ministers to review their performances. “It is not right on the part of Surjewala to hold meetings with Ministers. I am not happy with the exercise,” Rajanna had said, suggesting the high command was trying to undermine the CM's authority.

A few months ago, he made a sensational claim in the Assembly that attempts were being made to honey-trap him. “There are CD manufacturing factories in the state and several state and national leaders are on their target,” he had said.

The honey-trap claim was seen in political circles as an attempt to rein in Deputy CM D K Shivakumar who is reportedly trying to replace Siddaramaiah in November as per an undisclosed deal struck by the high command post 2023 Assembly elections. The CID investigation ordered to look into Rajanna’s claims filed a B report a fortnight ago claiming lack of evidence. The feud between Rajanna and Shivakumar began when Rajanna started a campaign for appointment of more DCMs and openly claimed the continuation of Siddaramaiah for five years. It intensified with repeated statements by Rajanna against Shivakumar.

"The high command should stop instructing us what to do and what not to do on a daily basis. We are not school going kids," he had said once when the high command stopped the rally that was planned in Hassan in favour of Siddaramaiah and also the dinner meeting of SC/ST Ministers. Rajanna’s attempts to remove Shivakumar from the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President post also widen the rift between the two.

Rajanna is an elected MLA from Madhugiri constituency in Tumakuru district of the state.

I Was Removed Through A Conspiracy, Says Rajanna

Reacting to the media for the first time after he was sacked from the cabinet, Rajanna said his removal was part of a conspiracy and he would reveal the names of people behind this conspiracy in coming days. "I know what happened and who met whom in the run upto my removal. I will reveal their names in future," he said.

Rajanna also said he would soon meet party leaders Rahul Gandhi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and K C Venugopal in Delhi along with a few ministers and try to clear the misunderstandings about his statement on voters' list manipulation.

"At the end of the day, I am a loyal party worker. We fully support Rahul's fight against the voters list fraud. He is our leader and we all will work under his guidance," he added.

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