Tumakuru, 12 August

The supporters of sacked Minister KN Rajanna on Tuesday created furore in his constituency Madhugiri in Tumakuru district over his unceremonious removal from the state cabinet.

While his loyalist councillor Girija Manjunath resigned from the Madhugiri municipality, others staged a demonstration in Madhugiri town protesting the insult to Rajanna.

Supporters took out a march holding banners and posters in favour of their leader and raised slogans on loudspeakers.

Some of them raised slogans condemning the Congress high command for removing Rajanna "without any valid reasons" while the other demanded justice for their leader.

They also gave a call for Bandh on Tuesday afternoon and forced shopkeepers to shut their businesses for the day in protest.

Police tried to pacify the crowd but the angry supporters compelled shopkeepers to down the shutters of their shops.

The policemen stood helpless before the huge crowd and watched the excesses of Rajanna’s supporters. Some shops were also damaged and their owners and staff were manhandled by the angry mob, said sources.

Rajanna was removed from the cabinet, reportedly on the direction of the Congress high command for blaming the state government for the alleged vote theft during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.