Karnataka Minister KN Rajanna Quits After Speaking Out Against Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Vote Theft’ Claim

In a dramatic political twist in Karnataka politics, Cooperation Minister and Congress leader KN Rajanna resigned from his position on Monday after he openly criticised senior party leader Rahul Gandhi's claim about 'vote theft.' Sources say that the Congress high command was unhappy with Rajanna's comments against Rahul Gandhi and asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to remove him from the Cabinet. This decision has sparked new political discussions across the state. Initially, Rajanna denied resigning, saying, "I have not submitted my resignation. I will speak to the Chief Minister and give my clarification." But soon after, he officially stepped down from his role in the Karnataka government.

The Role of the Party Leadership

According to insiders, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was instructed by the Congress leadership to immediately remove Rajanna from the Cabinet. At first, Rajanna refused to quit, but the Chief Minister gave him a deadline to resign voluntarily by Monday evening. If Rajanna did not comply, he was warned he would be forcibly removed. During a special meeting held on Monday, Siddaramaiah spoke to Rajanna, after which the minister submitted his resignation.

What Rajanna Said About the Vote Theft Claim

Rajanna made his controversial remarks on Sunday, August 10, in Tumakuru, where he criticized Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of vote theft. He questioned why the accusations were made now, pointing out that the voter list was prepared during Congress rule and no one raised concerns then. He said, "One should not speak like that... When was the voter list prepared? This voter list was made during the Congress regime... Why didn’t anyone speak up at that time? Why were the eyes closed? If I speak further now, things will get worse." Rajanna also admitted that the BJP has committed wrongdoing but emphasized that the Congress should also reflect on the matter and remain alert moving forward.

Rahul Gandhi's Allegations of Election Fraud

On Thursday, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, accused the Election Commission of working with the BJP to steal elections. He said this was against the Constitution. Gandhi shared an analysis of voter information from the 2024 general elections in Bangalore Central Lok Sabha seat and the Mahadevapura Assembly area. He said that although Congress won six out of seven parts, it lost in Mahadevapura by more than 1,14,000 votes. Gandhi claimed that over 1,00,000 votes were stolen there. He pointed out problems like duplicate voters, fake addresses, invalid photos, and misuse of new voter registration forms.