Cooperation Minister Rajanna quits after clashing with Rahul Gandhi over vote manipulation remarks

Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna resigned on Monday after the Congress high command sought action against him for taking a public stand sharply contrasting with that of AICC leader Rahul Gandhi in the ‘vote theft’ campaign.

Rajanna, an MLA from Madhugiri in Tumakuru district, is an ST leader known for his straight talk, even if it was at odds with his leaders or party.

A day after AICC leader Rahul Gandhi led a campaign against the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing it of engineering voter list manipulation in Mahadevapura assembly constituency, Rajanna lobbed the blame at the party doorstep for doing nothing when voter rolls were being prepared with numerous defects.


“The electoral rolls preparation and the conduct of the Lok Sabha elections happened during our own party’s rule. We kept quiet back then and are speaking out now. We should be ashamed that these occurred before our own eyes,” Rajanna said. He, however, said the party would take the right steps under Gandhi’s leadership.

On Monday, the day the Legislature session began, Rajanna submitted his resignation to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The party has sought stern action against him. Indications are that the party may expel him after seeking an explanation.

In May, Rajanna announced that he would retire from electoral politics but would continue in active politics.

CM attacks Centre: Siddaramaiah hit out at the Centre, saying the Modi government was weaponizing the police to detain those demanding accountability.

The CM, reacting to the Delhi Police detaining AICC leader Rahul Gandhi, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, and others, said the government was using the police against protestors after Gandhi exposed “massive voter fraud in Bengaluru” instead of addressing the rot in our electoral system.