Bengaluru, Aug 12 (PTI) The removal of K N Rajanna from the Karnataka Cabinet triggered uproar in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, with the opposition BJP demanding to know the reasons for his dismissal.
The government, however, refrained from any discussion and tabled the notification on Rajanna’s removal from the Council of Ministers.
Rajanna, who served as Cooperation Minister, was dropped from the Cabinet on Monday following directions from the Congress high command, party sources said.
Rajanna’s recent comments on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s “votes theft” allegations during 2024 Lok Sabha polls appear to have cost him his ministerial berth.
Placing the notification on Rajanna’s sacking before the Assembly after Question Hour and Zero Hour, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said if any minister left the Council of Ministers, he or she may make a statement with the Speaker’s permission, but beyond that, no discussion or explanation can be allowed as per the rulebook.
At this point, Deputy Leader of the Opposition Arvind Bellad and senior BJP MLA Suresh Kumar demanded that the Chief Minister, and not the Law Minister, address the issue.
Patil, however, continued, saying that in earlier instances of ministers being removed from governments, no discussions had been held in the Assembly.
“For example when Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned as the Vice President, was there discussion on that?” BJP members responded by pointing out that resignation is different from being sacked.
“What was Rajanna’s mistake, people of the state should know…..was he removed for speaking the truth?” Bellad asked.
Hitting back, Minister Priyank Kharge asked the BJP as to why MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal was expelled from the party.
“Should your permission be sought for removing any minister from the government? Keeping or removing someone from the cabinet is the prerogative of the CM. What do you have to do with it?” he questioned.
Strongly reacting to it, BJP MLAs said Yatnal was removed from the party, and he was not a Minister in the cabinet.
“If it was the Chief Minister’s decision, it would have been fine, but this is said to be a Congress high command’s decision, so it should be discussed,” he said.
Priyank Kharge also tried to counter the BJP citing Dhankhar’s resignation, but the Speaker intervened to pacify both sides, and proceeded with the business of the House.
Rajanna is the second minister to be out of Siddaramaiah’s Cabinet, after the Congress came to power in 2023.
Last year, Bellary MLA B Nagendra quit following allegations against him in connection with embezzlement at the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation.
Earlier, when the House met for the day, BJP demanded that the Chief Minister make a statement on Rajanna’s removal from the Cabinet.
Leader of Opposition R Ashoka said as the Assembly is in session, it is the duty of the Chief Minister and the government to inform the House. “We cannot be kept in the dark.” To this, Speaker U T Khader said the CM may provide information when he comes to the house and it is an internal matter (of the government or the ruling party).
State BJP President and MLA B Y Vijayendra, Sunil Kumar and others asked, “how was it an internal matter?” They demanded that the reasons for Rajanna’s sacking be disclosed, alleging that he was removed for speaking truth regarding Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s allegations against the Election Commission of India on “votes theft”.
Sunil Kumar said, “Rajanna has claimed a conspiracy against him, the truth behind it should come out.” Ashoka joined in, saying, “Rajanna has claimed conspiracy against him by his own party. He had in fact submitted his resignation, but it was not accepted by the CM, instead he was sacked. Is he being punished for speaking the truth regarding Rahul Gandhi’s vote theft allegations?” PTI KSU ROH
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