Why Did Karnataka Minister Rajanna Resign from the Council of Ministers?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- K.N. Rajanna has resigned from his position as a result of voter fraud allegations.
- The resignation was confirmed by the Karnataka Governor through a formal letter.
- Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accepted the resignation, but the reasons are still unclear.
- Rajanna had previously made bold statements about party leadership and electoral integrity.
- This situation reflects ongoing tensions and accountability challenges within Karnataka's political framework.
Bengaluru, Aug 11 (NationPress) K.N. Rajanna, an ally of Karnataka's Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has been dismissed from the Council of Ministers following directives from Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot.
The former State Cooperation Minister was prompted to resign after making statements regarding alleged voter fraud during the current Congress-led administration in Karnataka.
On Monday, R. Prabhushankar, the Special Secretary to the Karnataka Governor, confirmed this decision in a letter addressed to Shalini Rajaneesh, the Chief Secretary of Karnataka.
The correspondence stated, "I am instructed to forward the original notification, signed by the Governor, for the immediate removal of K.N. Rajanna, Cooperation Minister, from the Council of Ministers, for necessary action."
Earlier, veteran Congress leader Ramesh Babu confirmed that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has accepted Minister Rajanna's resignation, although the underlying reason remains unclear.
Speaking to journalists at the Vidhana Soudha, Babu remarked, "According to the directives of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Minister Rajanna has submitted his resignation, which has been accepted. We need to ascertain the reasons behind his resignation."
"The cause is still unknown. The All India Congress Committee (AICC) or the Chief Minister must clarify. We are not certain. Neither the AICC nor the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) has released an official statement regarding this matter. We are awaiting further details," he added.
"Once we receive communication from the AICC or PCC, we will provide the information. It is confirmed that he (K.N. Rajanna) has resigned, and the Chief Minister has accepted it," he stated.
Minister Rajanna had previously confronted Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar directly and indicated in Delhi that he was willing to assume the role of State Party President from Shivakumar.
He also supported the idea of appointing a Dalit Chief Minister should there be a shift in leadership within the state.
On August 8, Rajanna commented, "Rahul Gandhi has made statements supported by evidence. He speaks with authority, and we should endorse his claims—there's no doubt. The BJP is fully aware of the irregularities. The RSS, the BJP's affiliated organization, is orchestrating everything."
"The public stands with us. In the Mahadevapura Assembly constituency, voters have been registered without accurate addresses. How can this happen? Our government was in power during the parliamentary elections—we should have been more vigilant. Instead, we are only now becoming aware. Had we acted sooner, we could have mitigated these irregularities," Rajanna concluded.