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Karnataka Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna, a close aide of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, resigned on Monday, August 11, after a controversy erupted over his remarks on alleged voter list irregularities. The comments drew sharp criticism from Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s supporters and reportedly went against the Congress high command’s line.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accepted the resignation and forwarded it to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot, who signed on it immediately.
According to media reports, Rajanna submitted his resignation to CM Siddaramaiah following instructions from the party leadership. Speaking to the media before meeting the CM, Rajanna said, “I am going to meet the CM now. I don’t know what it is about. I am not the one to stick to power. I make decisions based on the issue. I don’t know what the high command is upset about. No one from the high command has spoken to me. I will only speak after the high command has given instructions.”
The row began after Rajanna commented on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s rally in Bengaluru last week, during which Rahul accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of bias and claimed voter list discrepancies had cost the party key constituencies like Bangalore Central. Rajanna, however, has said that the party must also accept responsibility.
“One should remember that voter lists were revised when our own government was at the helm. Why did our party turn a blind eye then? There are indeed irregularities, but it is insulting for us that it happened right under our nose,” Rajanna said. He alleged that the ECI “did what they should not have done, changed the voter list and went on to make the Prime Minister,” but admitted Congress failed to object in time. “We had a responsibility, but we remained silent then and are speaking now,” he added, urging party members to be more vigilant in future.
Rajanna also noted that the ECI had invited objections after publishing draft rolls, implying that the Congress should have acted promptly. His remarks were seen as undermining the party’s official stance, particularly angering Shivakumar’s camp.
Congress workers from the Bengaluru Central district also wrote a letter to All India Congress Committee general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala demanding action against him for his comments.