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According to a Congress source, Rahul Gandhi’s message was unequivocal: “I am not talking about his resignation, sack him.”
The conversation between Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah (right) and Rahul Gandhi was brief and to the point. (PTI File)
In a dramatic turn of events that sent shockwaves through the political circles, Karnataka Minister Rajanna was unceremoniously sacked from his position, following a direct order from Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.
The move, which insiders reveal, was a result of direct intervention from the party high command, came after the minister’s actions caused significant embarrassment to the party.
Sources close to top Congress leadership provided inside details of the day’s developments, revealing a series of high-level phone calls that sealed Rajanna’s fate.
ನಾಡ ದೊರೆ, ಭಾಗ್ಯಗಳ ಸರದಾರ ರಾಜ್ಯದ ಗೌರವಾನ್ವಿತ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳಾದ ಸನ್ಮಾನ್ಯ ಶ್ರೀ ಸಿದ್ದರಾಮಯ್ಯ ನವರಿಗೆ ಜನ್ಮದಿನದ ಹಾರ್ದಿಕ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು. ದೇವರು ನಿಮಗೆ ಉತ್ತಮ ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ದೀರ್ಘಾಯುಷ್ಯ ಮತ್ತು ಈ ನಾಡಿಗೆ ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ಸೇವೆ ಮಾಡಲು ಶಕ್ತಿಯನ್ನು ಕರುಣಿಸಲೆಂದು ಪ್ರಾರ್ಥಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ.Siddaramaiah Chief Minister of Karnataka pic.twitter.com/RbgoH7NTzf
— K N Rajanna (@KNRajanna_Off) August 3, 2025
A call and a sacking within a few hours
The day began with a morning call from All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary K.C. Venugopal to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Venugopal, reportedly expressing the party’s displeasure over the “Rajanna episode” and the embarrassment it had caused, asked Siddaramaiah to immediately drop the minister from his cabinet.
Initially, Siddaramaiah, taking into account the ongoing assembly session, requested a delay, proposing to accept Rajanna’s resignation after 10 days. However, Venugopal was insistent and advised the Chief Minister to speak directly with Rahul Gandhi.
The conversation between Siddaramaiah and Rahul Gandhi was brief and to the point. According to a Congress source, Rahul Gandhi’s message was unequivocal: “I am not talking about his resignation, sack him.”
This direct and unambiguous directive left no room for negotiation.
ಚುನಾವಣಾ ಆಯೋಗದ ವಿರುದ್ಧ ಬಾಲಿಶತನದ ಆರೋಪ ಮಾಡುವ ಮೂಲಕ ನಗೆ ಪಾಟಲಿಗೀಡಾಗಿರುವ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ನಾಯಕ @RahulGandhi ಅವರು ಸದ್ಯ ಹತಾಶ ಮನಸ್ಥಿತಿಯಲ್ಲಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಈ ಹಿನ್ನೆಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ‘ಇದ್ದಿದ್ದು ಇದ್ದಂಗೆ ಹೇಳಿ’ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ದೋಷಗಳಿಗೆ ಕನ್ನಡಿ ಹಿಡಿದ ಹಿರಿಯ ಸಚಿವ ಕೆ.ಎನ್ ರಾಜಣ್ಣ ಅವರ ತಲೆದಂಡವಾಗಿದೆ. ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳ ಬಲಗೈ ಭಂಟರಾಗಿ… pic.twitter.com/YlYAxmlPk7— Vijayendra Yediyurappa (@BYVijayendra) August 11, 2025
CM Siddaramaiah’s swift action
Following the conversation, the Chief Minister’s office acted swiftly. Around 1 pm, a message was conveyed to Rajanna informing him of the decision.
Subsequently, the Chief Minister wrote to the Governor, recommending that Rajanna be dropped from the council of ministers, formalising his dismissal.
This swift action highlights the party leadership’s firm stance against indiscipline and signals a clear message that no one is above the party’s reputation. This is not the first time Rajanna went against the party diktat.
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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