Who is KN Rajanna? Karnataka minister dropped over Rahul’s ‘vote chori’ row

Karnataka Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna was removed from the state Cabinet on Monday after the Congress high command took exception to his criticism of party leader Rahul Gandhi’s ‘vote chori’ allegation. Rajanna had questioned why the Congress remained silent on alleged voter list manipulation during its own tenure in the state government.

His remarks came after Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, alleged large-scale electoral fraud in the 2024 general elections, claiming over one lakh fake votes existed in Bengaluru Central’s electoral rolls. Speaking to reporters, Rajanna pointed out that the voter list used in the polls was prepared when Congress was in power, and asked why no one had raised objections then.

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar dismissed Rajanna’s claims, saying the minister was “totally at fault” and that the party leadership would respond. Following the row, the Congress high command sought action, leading to Rajanna’s resignation on the first day of the Monsoon session of the Karnataka legislature.

Rajanna, 74, a close aide of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, had been serving as Cooperation Minister since 2023. He represents the Madhugiri constituency in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and has a long career in the cooperative sector, having held posts such as director of the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India and president of the Karnataka State Co-operative Apex Bank Ltd. He first entered politics in 1998 as a member of the Karnataka Legislative Council, serving until 2004.