A political storm erupted in Karnataka after State Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna alleged that irregularities in voter lists took place during the Congress government’s tenure, claiming they happened “right in front of our eyes.” Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar swiftly dismissed the remarks as “totally wrong.”
Rajanna, addressing reporters in Tumkuru, questioned why Congress leaders “turned a blind eye” to discrepancies in the electoral rolls and failed to raise timely objections. His comments come amid heightened political tension following Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s accusation of massive electoral fraud in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, including over one lakh fake votes in Bengaluru Central.
“Mr KN Rajanna is totally at fault. He doesn’t know. My Chief Minister and my party high command will respond to that,” Shivakumar said in Bengaluru. He added that the Election Commission should address Gandhi’s objections, stating, “We have officially sought certain records from them. I myself visited the Election Commission. My leader has already answered in public.”
Earlier, Rajanna stressed that electoral fraud did occur in Mahadevapura, a constituency segment highlighted by Gandhi, and urged leaders to be more vigilant in the future. “These irregularities happened right in front of our eyes — we should feel ashamed. We didn’t act when we should have, and that was a mistake,” he admitted.
Shivakumar also hit back at the Election Commission for issuing a notice to Rahul Gandhi seeking proof of his “vote theft” allegations. “Who are they to give notice? We have the power to give notice. In a democracy, elections should be held legally,” he said.
The Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer has asked Gandhi to provide documents for a detailed probe into his claims.
