Bengaluru: Karnataka Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna was abruptly dismissed from the state Cabinet on Monday after Congress high command ordered Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to remove him following controversial remarks on "vote theft" that embarrassed the party and Rahul Gandhi.

Rajanna, a known Siddaramaiah loyalist, attracted the ire of the Congress leadership when he accused his own party government in Karnataka of "vote theft" during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in the Mahadevapura Assembly segment. He reportedly said the "vote theft" happened "right in front of our eyes," contradicting the party’s narrative.

Rahul Gandhi had earlier blamed the BJP government at the Centre for coming to power due to "vote theft," highlighting over a lakh bogus voters in Mahadevapura, a segment under Bengaluru Central Parliamentary constituency.

Removal Procedure and Official Notification

Sources in the Chief Minister’s office revealed Siddaramaiah initially asked Rajanna to resign. When Rajanna did not comply, Siddaramaiah sent a removal letter to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, who approved the recommendation.

Special Secretary to the Governor, R Prabhushankar, communicated the Governor’s notification to Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh for necessary action.

Rajanna’s Reaction 

Following his removal, Rajanna said the Congress high command, including party president and general secretary K C Venugopal, held a "misconception" about him. He stated he would travel to Delhi with senior MLAs and ministers to "clear the air."

Deputy CM Shivakumar expresses regret

Deputy Chief Minister and Congress state president D K Shivakumar told reporters he was unaware of the reasons behind Rajanna’s removal. “The party has decided. We are friends and have been in public life together for 25 years. It pains me as well, but what can be done?” he said.

Previous tensions

This is not the first time Rajanna has clashed with party leadership. In recent months, he publicly criticised appointments to boards and corporations, spoke about "too many power centres" in Congress, and hinted at major political changes post-September, referring to a ‘September Revolution’.

Opposition demands clarity 

During the Karnataka Assembly session on Monday, BJP legislators pressed for clarity on Rajanna’s removal. Leader of Opposition R Ashoka demanded to know if there were any corruption charges against Rajanna, questioning how much money he had allegedly made and where it was kept.

Ashoka added, “He just spoke the truth that there was [Congress government] when voting took place. He was the only Siddaramaiah loyalist. Is Siddaramaiah the next target after his removal?”

BJP MLA S Suresh Kumar urged the government to issue an official statement since the news broke amid the session.

Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil dismissed the demand for an immediate government statement, saying, “The government cannot be expected to provide answers just because the media is reporting on the matter.”

He added, “If there are any such developments, the Chief Minister will definitely inform you. The session is in progress and this discussion is unnecessary.”