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The controversy began with Rajanna’s remarks on the party’s “vote chori” campaign, which accuses opposition parties of vote-stealing.
Rajanna’s removal from the Karnataka cabinet was swift after he publicly questioned the effectiveness of the “vote chori” campaign, suggesting it was not resonating with the public. (Image: PTI)
The political scene in Karnataka is once again turbulent as the recent dismissal of minister KN Rajanna has intensified the growing dissent within the state’s Congress unit. The controversy began with Rajanna’s remarks on the party’s “vote chori” campaign, which accuses opposition parties of vote-stealing. His comments have been bolstered by another MLA, Kothur Manjunath, who has both defended Rajanna and criticised the party’s authoritarian handling of the issue.
Rajanna’s removal from the cabinet was swift after he publicly questioned the effectiveness of the “vote chori” campaign, suggesting it was not resonating with the public. Rajanna, a significant figure within the Scheduled Tribes (ST) community, reportedly stated that the campaign was failing to gain traction. His comments were seen as a direct challenge to the party’s official stance and to Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, who has been leading the campaign. The decision to sack Rajanna was perceived as a warning to other party members to avoid public criticism of the leadership.
However, this move has backfired, with Congress MLA Kothur Manjunath now openly supporting Rajanna. In a bold statement, Manjunath affirmed, “What Rajanna said is the truth.” He argued that although Rajanna’s comments were inconvenient for the party, they were not an attack on Rahul Gandhi. Manjunath further criticised the handling of the situation, suggesting a less drastic approach could have been taken. “They could have called and advised him not to speak like that,” he stated, emphasising that Rajanna’s removal was unjustified, especially given his background. “He is from the ST community, and he has won from a general seat. That’s not easy,” Manjunath highlighted, underscoring the political significance of Rajanna’s role.
The dissent within Congress has provided fresh ammunition to the opposition BJP, which has been quick to capitalise on the internal discord. BJP MLA Bharat Shetty commented, claiming the incident reflects the Congress party’s authoritarian attitude. The BJP is now framing the issue as a betrayal of a leader from the ST community, further exploiting the caste angle raised by Manjunath. “Rajanna is one of the most respected and senior SC leaders in Karnataka. It is deeply unfortunate that a leader of his stature has been treated this way. Compared to him in terms of political experience and contribution, Rahul Gandhi is still in his formative years. A simple dialogue with Rajanna could have resolved the matter with dignity,” Shetty remarked.
Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India’s space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and RTI investi…Read More
Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India’s space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and RTI investi… Read More
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