Bengaluru, Aug 11 (NationPress) In response to the resignation of Minister for Cooperation K.N. Rajanna, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar expressed on Monday that all party members must respect the decisions made by the high command.

“Rajanna is a dear friend of mine. We have been involved in politics together for 25 years, and I feel a deep sense of loss. However, it is a decision made by the party. You are all aware of the circumstances surrounding this choice. We must all yield to the high command's ruling,” Shivakumar remarked.

He mentioned that he received notification about the decision from the Chief Minister. “While I can issue notices or take minor actions concerning MLAs, it is the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader who governs the legislators,” he asserted.

In the meantime, sources have indicated that this situation has bolstered Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar’s standing within the Congress party, potentially overshadowing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Rajanna, a close ally of Siddaramaiah, had previously shown support for him while criticizing Shivakumar.

Rajanna, who held the position of State Cooperation Minister, was asked to resign following his comments regarding the Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s press conference on alleged voter fraud.

“If voter fraud existed, the state Congress should have raised this issue much sooner,” Rajanna had stated.

In related developments, BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra took to social media platform X, asserting that Rajanna, a prominent ST leader and Cooperation Minister, was dismissed simply for speaking the truth—something that every Kannadiga is aware of.

“In the Congress party, however, truth is perceived as a threat, particularly when it comes from a leader representing a marginalized community whose voice they have long sought to suppress,” he added.

Vijayendra further highlighted a worrying trend: in the case of ST Welfare Minister B. Nagendra, funds meant for community development were allegedly diverted for Congress’s electoral expenses. While the blame fell solely on Nagendra, the accountability of CM Siddaramaiah and Dy CM Shivakumar was overlooked, he stated.

“Even informal gatherings of SC/ST MLAs and Ministers are monitored by the high command, as if leaders from these communities are incapable of independent meetings,” he pointed out.

“This reveals the true nature of Congress: anti-Dalit, anti-ST, anti-democratic, and anti-truth. It also unveils the emptiness of Siddaramaiah’s claims of advocating for the AHINDA cause. When leaders from these communities face criticism, he fails to defend them and instead submits to the directives of the Delhi High Command to protect his position as Chief Minister,” Vijayendra concluded.