It is surprising that just a day after his remarks on vote theft, KN Rajanna, Karnataka Cooperation Minister, submitted his resignation to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Although the exact reason for his resignation, which he tendered on Monday, is yet to be ascertained, it is being speculated that Rajanna was sacked following his remarks regarding the alleged “vote chori” issue.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Rajanna had stated that the voter irregularities, which are said to have occurred in the Mahadevapura Assembly constituency, took place while the Congress government was in power. He criticised Congress leaders for being complacent, saying they "sat quietly with their eyes closed" instead of raising objections during the draft stage of the voter list. He added, "These irregularities did take place. It is a shame that we did not monitor it."
His remarks, days after Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, staged a massive protest in Bengaluru over voter irregularities, had embarrassed the Congress leadership.
Following Rajanna’s comments, some Congress workers reportedly petitioned the party leadership, demanding action against the minister. This is believed to have prompted the party high command to seek the resignation of the senior cabinet member.
Also read: Karnataka CEO asks Rahul for proof of double voting claim
After Rajanna's resignation, Siddaramaiah held a meeting with several Congress leaders to discuss the developments on the first day of the Karnataka Assembly's Monsoon Session.
Rajanna, the MLA for Madhugiri, is known to be aligned with the Siddaramaiah faction of the Congress.
This is not the first time Rajanna has been involved in a controversy. During the budget session in March, he made headlines by alleging that he was targeted in a 'honey trap' by a criminal gang. However, a subsequent investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) found no evidence to support his claims.
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