Karnataka Cooperative Minister KN Rajanna has stirred political turbulence within the Congress by openly admitting that voter list irregularities took place during the party’s tenure in the state. His statement has landed just as senior leader Rahul Gandhi has been accusing the BJP of engaging in “vote theft” in Karnataka during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, creating an awkward contradiction in the party’s narrative.
Rajanna told reporters that the voter list in question had been compiled while Congress was in power, yet the party failed to monitor the process adequately. He remarked that these irregularities happened “right in front of our eyes” and that leaders chose to “sit quietly with their eyes closed” instead of raising objections at the draft stage. He cited specific examples, including a case in Mahadevapura where one person allegedly had their name added in three different locations and voted multiple times. He also highlighted instances where small localities with only 10–15 residents mysteriously had 60 names included, many without proper addresses or fathers’ names.
While placing blame on the Election Commission for altering the voter list and indirectly facilitating the BJP’s rise, Rajanna conceded that Congress bore its share of responsibility by remaining silent at the time. “We had a responsibility, but we remained silent then and are speaking now,” he admitted, adding that party units have since been instructed to remain alert to prevent future lapses.
His remarks have triggered strong internal backlash. Several Congress workers have lodged a complaint with party in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, accusing Rajanna of damaging the party’s credibility and strengthening the opposition’s position. They have demanded his suspension and expulsion. The statement has also deepened factional tensions, reportedly angering members of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s camp, even though Rajanna is considered close to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
The controversy unfolds against the backdrop of Rahul Gandhi’s intensified attack on the Election Commission, accusing it of concealing a “big crime” by withholding access to electronic voter lists and polling booth footage. Gandhi claims this secrecy helped the BJP manipulate results in Karnataka and other states. He pointed out that Congress’s internal surveys had predicted at least 16 seats in Karnataka, yet the party won only nine, further fueling the dispute over election conduct and internal accountability.
