BENGALURU: Former minister KN Rajanna, who has asserted that he will come back as a minister, has pinned his hopes on All-India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, who is considered Man Friday of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, sources said.
Rajanna was recently sacked from the ministry as he indirectly criticised Rahul, who had launched a ‘vote theft’ campaign from Bengaluru against BJP and ECI. Following Rahul’s instructions over phone, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had to sack Rajanna, despite the latter being his confidante.
Rajanna is banking on Venugopal as he has burnt bridges with the other AICC general secretary, in-charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, who had rapped the then minister for holding meetings with the party MLAs.
Rajanna is now planning to go to New Delhi after the Assembly session and meet Venugopal as LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is unlikely to give him an appointment.
Rajanna, meanwhile, gained the sympathy of different quarters, including opposition BJP, ST community and its religious head Sri Prasannandapuri Swamiji.
The seer alleged that there was a conspiracy against leaders from the community as another ST minister B Nagendra too lost his post some time ago.
With two vacancies, the high command may consider filling them with leaders from the same community. Those in the race are Heggadadevanakote MLA Anil Chikkamadu, Vijayanagara MLA HR Gaviyappa and Challakere MLA T Raghumurthy.
Siddaganga Seer bats for Rajanna Tumakuru’s Siddaganga Mutt head Sri Siddalinga Swamiji expressed his shock over the dismissal of former minister KN Rajanna. He hoped that the leader will be reinstated as it would be good for the party and the people.
The swamiji urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to pay attention to the issue and convince the high command to reinduct Rajanna.
“Rajanna has made his own contribution to the cooperative sector. As the president of Cooperative Mahamandal, he had helped the poor and farmers. Rajanna has always been a straightforward, but stern person. He has no evil in his mind and dropping such a person should be thought about,” he remarked.