Karnataka's K N Rajanna Ousted: What Led to His Dismissal from the Cabinet?
K N Rajanna's Removal from Karnataka Cabinet
Bengaluru: K N Rajanna, the Cooperation Minister of Karnataka, was dismissed from his ministerial position on Monday following a recommendation from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot.
Initially, Siddaramaiah requested Rajanna to step down, but after he failed to comply, the decision was made to remove him from the Cabinet, as reported by sources from the Chief Minister's office.
A formal letter regarding Rajanna's removal was sent to the governor in the afternoon, and the Raj Bhavan accepted the recommendation.
In a communication to the Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, Special Secretary to the Governor R Prabhushankar confirmed the removal, stating, 'I am directed to forward herewith the original notification signed by the Hon'ble Governor for the removal of Sri K N Rajanna, Hon'ble Minister for Cooperation, from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect, for further necessary action.'
Sources indicated that a recent statement made by Rajanna was detrimental to his position.
Rajanna, known for his loyalty to Siddaramaiah, faced backlash from the Congress leadership after he allegedly accused the party-led government in Karnataka of 'vote theft' in the Mahadevapura Assembly segment during the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Rahul Gandhi had previously held a press conference in New Delhi and later addressed a public gathering in Bengaluru, where he claimed that the BJP's rise to power was due to 'vote theft.'
He pointed out the existence of over a lakh fraudulent voters in the Mahadevapura assembly segment, which falls under the Bengaluru Central Parliamentary constituency.
Rajanna attributed the 'vote theft' to the Congress government, asserting that these irregularities occurred while they were in power, stating it happened 'right in front of our eyes.'
For the past two months, Rajanna has been in the spotlight, hinting at a potential 'September Revolution,' which has led to speculation about significant changes within the government.
During the Karnataka Assembly session on Monday, the issue became a focal point, with BJP legislators demanding clarification from Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil and Rajanna.
Leader of Opposition BJP R Ashoka raised questions regarding the specific allegations against Rajanna, asking, 'Are there any corruption charges against Rajanna? How much money has he made, and where has he kept it? He just spoke the truth that there was over government (during the 2024 Lok Sabha election) when the voting took place.'
He speculated on the political ramifications of Rajanna's dismissal, questioning whether Siddaramaiah might be the next target.
BJP MLA S Suresh Kumar emphasized that it was the government's responsibility to address the situation, especially since it unfolded during the legislative session.
In response, Minister Patil dismissed the request, stating that the government should not be expected to respond merely because the media is covering the issue.
'If there are any such developments, the Chief Minister will definitely inform you. The session is ongoing, and this discussion is unnecessary,' he remarked.
Opposition BJP MLAs inquired whether Rajanna was present in the House as a Minister or merely as an 'ordinary' MLA.
In his response, Rajanna stated, 'Our Parliamentary Affairs Minister has said that the Chief Minister will come and answer whether I have resigned or not and who has asked me to resign... I will stick to what he says.'