KN Rajanna Alleges Conspiracy Behind His Removal from Karnataka Cabinet
Former Karnataka Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna, who recently resigned from the cabinet, has alleged that there was a conspiracy behind his removal, stating that the decision came directly from the Congress high command.
Speaking to reporters late at night, Rajanna said, “You all might have received the letter sent to the Governor and the response from the Governor’s office. You might be curious to know about the word ‘dropped’ mentioned in that letter.
It was the High Command’s decision to drop me, so the Chief Minister sent the letter to the Governor, and based on that, the Governor accepted it.”
He stressed that this was entirely the party’s decision and added, “This is not the right time to question the High Command in this situation. Therefore, to ensure there is no embarrassment to them, I am not going to make any statement now.”
Rajanna maintained that he would disclose the details of the conspiracy at the right time. “Even if you want to use terms like ‘resignation’, ‘dropped’, or ‘sacked’, there is a conspiracy behind this. Who conspired, who is behind it, which leaders were involved, and how it all happened, I will reveal everything when the time is right,” he said.
Remarks on Voter List Irregularities
Rajanna’s ouster follows his controversial comments regarding voter list irregularities during the Congress government’s tenure.
He admitted that revisions of the voter list had been poorly supervised, citing duplicate entries and suspicious names in sparsely populated areas.
He criticised the party for remaining silent during the draft stage and accused the Election Commission of altering the list in a way that benefitted the Prime Minister.
However, Rajanna also acknowledged the party’s failure to object in time and urged vigilance in the future.
Party Leaders Defend Decision
Law Minister HK Patil defended the high command’s move, stating, “The party discipline is well maintained. The high command has taken a decision. All of us are to go with the decision of the high command. It’s in the party’s interest.”
Rajanna’s removal comes at a politically sensitive time when senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, are alleging that the Election Commission is colluding with the BJP to “steal elections” in the country.
Statement of Misunderstanding
Speaking hours after stepping down, Rajanna claimed that his remarks had been “misunderstood” and reiterated that there was a “big conspiracy” behind his removal.
“I know exactly who all are behind it and what has happened. My statement was misunderstood. I will make efforts to clear that misunderstanding,” he said. He also made it clear that the removal decision came directly from the high command.
Acknowledging the Governor’s formal order, Rajanna remarked, “This is the party’s decision. I have no displeasure towards Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and I am committed to the High Command’s decision.”
Plans to Meet Rahul Gandhi
The former minister announced his plans to meet Rahul Gandhi in Delhi. “I will try to clear the misconception. The wrong message should not be sent. No matter what we say or where we speak, we are committed to this party. Rahul Gandhi is our leader,” he said.
Rajanna also expressed gratitude to CM Siddaramaiah for inducting him into the Cabinet. He thanked the Chief Minister and his colleagues for the opportunity to serve.
Trigger for Removal
Rajanna’s removal came a week after he publicly stated that voter list irregularities in Mahadevapura — the same constituency Rahul Gandhi had accused the Election Commission of manipulating — took place during the Congress rule.
These remarks attracted criticism from the opposition and disapproval within the party. Deputy CM DK Shivakumar condemned his comments.
Formal Removal Notification
On Monday evening, the Karnataka government officially announced Rajanna’s removal from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect. This development marks the latest twist in the ongoing political row over “vote theft” allegations.
