In a surprising development, Karnataka Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna submitted his resignation to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah Monday. Though the exact reason for his resignation is yet to be ascertained, it is being speculated that Rajanna was sacked following his remarks regarding the alleged “vote chori” issue.
Rajanna told reporters Sunday that the voter irregularities, which allegedly took place in the Mahadevapura Assembly segment of Bangalore Central Lok Sabha constituency, happened during the tenure of the Congress Government in Karnataka.
He said that when the voter list was being prepared, Congress leaders sat quietly with their eyes closed instead of raising objections at the draft stage. “These irregularities did take place. It is a shame that we did not monitor it,” he said.
His remarks, days after Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, staged a massive protest in Bengaluru over voter irregularities, had embarrassed the Congress leadership.
Following Rajanna’s remarks, a section of Congress workers had also submitted a petition to Congress leadership demanding action against the minister. This is said to have prompted the party high command to seek the resignation of one of the senior ministers in Siddaramaiah’s Cabinet.
After Rajanna resigned, Siddaramaiah held a meeting with various Congress leaders regarding the development that took place during the first day of the Monsoon Session of the Karnataka Assembly.
Rajanna, the Madhugiri MLA, is aligned with the Siddaramaiah camp of Congress.
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During the Budget Session of the Karnataka Assembly in March, Rajanna triggered a row alleging that he had been targeted in a ‘honey trap’ by a gang. He said the gang targeted 48 leaders across parties.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which investigated the case, found no evidence to prove the charges made by Rajanna.
More details awaited.