Overview

• Congress MLA H.C. Balakrishna alleged in Ramanagara that sacked minister K.N. Rajanna has initiated talks with the BJP and has already applied to join.
• Supporters of Rajanna accused Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar of plotting his removal from the cabinet, deepening the party’s internal feud.
• Backers are organizing a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to demand Rajanna’s reinstatement, with claims of arrangements for about 10,000 participants and a hunger strike.
• Rajanna maintained he was not removed solely over voter-roll remarks, citing his comments on creating three deputy chief minister posts and on a honey-trap case as factors.
• Rajanna’s son, MLC Rajendra, warned of a possible ‘September revolution’ and suggested some leaders could shift to the BJP, even as he said their family would remain in Congress.